


A New Set of Eyes

by ActTwoAlly



Series: Eyes|Verse [2]
Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Adoption, Baseball Jargon, Bottom Jared, Broken Windows Policing (Kind Of), Eyes|Verse, Family Angst, Immigration Policies (Not Polarizing I Hope), M/M, Mentions of DCFS, Mentions of religion, Mob References, Ongoing Edits, Original Characters - Freeform, Petit Crimes, Plotty, Protective Jared, Protective Jensen, Sequel, US/Mexico Border Issues (Nothing Political), WIP, legal system, major crimes - Freeform, mentions of stillbirth, original child character - Freeform, slight time jumps
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:34:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 21,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23321755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ActTwoAlly/pseuds/ActTwoAlly
Summary: Sequel to “Behind Those Eyes” set four years later in Austin.—Jared and Jensen are settled in Texas after giving it a, mostly successful, go in New York. They’ve got dream jobs in their respective fields and a son they adore. But how strong is the foundation upon which they’ve built this life and how strong are they to maintain it?—The first few chapters will have some flashbacks to explain how Arlington (Arlo) became their adoptive son. And no--the character's name is not based on the Padalecki dog. I've always loved the name Arlington so he became the little guy.—Also, I recently started watching Suits so I borrowed Harvey Specter because...yum.
Relationships: Jensen Ackles & Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki
Series: Eyes|Verse [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1666036
Comments: 26
Kudos: 142





	1. Life in Austin

“Arlington James! If you’re not down here in 43 seconds, you can kiss baseball camp goodbye during break!” Jared bellowed from their kitchen up the stairs to their 12-year-old. It was amazing how, no genetic relation at all, Arlo was exactly like Jensen in the morning. Begrudging and bemoaning that sleep was a precious commodity that must be cherished. And yes, their kid really spoke like that. Again. Genetics be damned. 

Their son came into the kitchen and Jared just leaned back against the countertop making a show of looking at his Rolex, a 10-year-anniversary gift from his husband. 

“Not bad, kid.”

“Dad how’d you even come up with 43 seconds anyway?” Arlo said as he pulled his chair out at the table and snatched a honeycrisp from the bowl. “I mean, not 30?” Bits of the apple were now spitting out of the kid’s mouth. “Not 45? Aren’t you supposed to be, I don’t know, like a detective who depends on accuracy. Isn’t that what Coach always tells you? ‘Baby, you always gotta know the specifics when you go into a case. That shit’ll keep ya alive,’” Arlo did a disturbingly accurate impression of Jensen. However, Jared still had the whole parental responsibility since the other one was already at work.

“One? Don’t talk with your mouth full. Two? Don’t say shit. Three? Talented as your impressions of your dad are, please keep the word ‘baby’ out of your mouth. It’s weird, dude,” Jared made an overdramatic shudder before turning back to the stove to flip the veggie omelet over. 

He heard the munch of an apple and not the inside of his cheek preparing himself for what was coming.

“Thur thing, babe,” Arlo said cheekily—making sure to add more saliva than necessary to his mouthful. 

“Eat your breakfast, smartass. We gotta leave for school in….”

“Eleven minutes and 48 seconds,” his face beamed up at Jared. Jared leaned down to ruffle his hand through their son’s floppy hair as he jogged upstairs to suit up for the day. 

—

Jensen was in DA Specter’s office like he usually was for the first hour of every day. As First Executive ADA, he was the equivalent of a vice presidential role. Jared often said he was Specter’s consigliere but after their dealings in New York, that joke got old quickly.

They had returned to Austin shortly after everything was settled in Brooklyn. Jennifer had been shipped off to one penitentiary, Joey to another, and Mike to yet another. DA Brown was impeached and disbarred. Jensen didn’t care to know what else happened at KCDA. 

Jensen interviewed with the incumbent DA Moore, and the now current DA, Harvey Specter, to review his resume, qualifications, and interest in taking the position. He had discussed it with Jared beforehand and if he was offered the job, he’d take it. Jared was taking a Sergeant position at Austin PD’s Main HQ. 

In an unprecedented move, Jensen was offered the job on the spot. DA Moore had six months left in her tenure, which gave Jensen from May through October to meet with Harvey about plans moving forward. Most importantly, though; it gave him and Jared time to reconnect and resettle in their home state.

Their sisters were happy to have their big brothers home, their fathers ecstatic that they now had a built-in foursome for golf outings. And their mothers? Well suffice to say that A and B gave them a solid week to get acclimated before dropping not-so-subtle inquiries about adoption. 

The Inglioterra/Castiglione/Cortese disaster, or the ICC as they took to calling that mouthful, put a lot in perspective for them. They loved their careers, they loved each other, they loved their decision to head home. And they loved that they were finally in a position that they’d be considered ideal adoptive parent candidates. 

The hard part was waiting for a child who needed them. Jared prayed on it, like he did most things, and their prayer came answered in a funny way that first June.

In their six month, “Grown Up Gap Year,” as they called it, Jared started working on his Masters in Government at UT Austin. Jensen debated going for his PhD in Public Policy but in the end, he followed his heart, his gut, and his husband’s nudge towards the baseball field.  
—  
June 2020

That’s where they met Arlington, or Arlo. Arlo was 9 years old the first time Jensen met him. He was tall for his age, but his height didn’t impede his agility on the infield. The kid played shortstop with the confidence that far surpassed his years. When Jensen inquired about him, the director of the youth program, Jim Cannery, explained that he was in the foster system. He had been for four years.

Arlington’s parents were involved in a robbery gone wrong in Downtown Austin one night. They were both DOA. The police had to go to the house and inform the kid’s babysitter, no older than a kid herself. No one else could take the 4-year-old in and he’d been bounced around since. 

“He’s an awesome kid. Polite. Works hard. Helps everyone. Smart as hell. Funny. An absolute sweetheart to be honest,” Jim has said. 

Jensen felt like an asshole but he asked anyway, “So why is he still in the system?”

Jim sighed and leaned against the wire fence, adjusting his ball cap and whistling when one of the kids who had been struggling got an infield hit. He turned his attention back to Jensen and said sadly, “Everyone wants a kid. But they never come right out and say they want a ‘baby’. So here he is, every day for practice, before the DCFS van picks him up and brings him to the group home.”

Jensen looked over at the kid as he jogged back to the dugout to switch out his glove for his helmet and batting glove. 

Jensen noticed the one dimple in his cheek, which immediately reminded him of Jared. It was hard to tell from where he was standing, but it looked like the kid had green eyes like him. Floppy blonde hair curled around his little face from where it peeked out from his too-big helmet. Call it divine intervention, or maybe the kid just sensed some 30-something creep staring at him, but when Arlington looked up and waved like he didn’t have a care in the world? Jensen knew that was their son.  
—  
March 2024

“All right, Ackles. Good work—per usual. Just have your para finalize those remarks and fill me in after you meet with the bureau chiefs. We’ve got a presser later this week about border issues so make sure you carve out some time in your week to meet with Immigration and with Major Crimes. I know you don't like profiling, and that's not what we're doing. We're just being proactive because there are a lot of variables that come along with a new population. You got it?”

“Yeah, boss. We’re good,” Jensen replied as he flipped his steno pad closed.

They stood in tandem and adjusted their suit jackets before shaking hands. Jensen was halfway to the door when Harvey yelled to him. 

“Hey, Ackles. Isn’t your kid’s birthday coming up?”

Jensen panicked for a second thinking he had missed it and he quickly recounted what day it was. 

“Yeah next week, the 30th. Why’d ya ask, man?”

Harvey tossed a signed baseball to Jensen who caught it thanks to his own baseball muscle memory. He looked at it and his mouth dropped open. In surprisingly neat script for someone who no doubt had autographed thousands (if not millions) of memorabilia read, “HBD, Arlo Ackles. Call me if you ever want to talk about your shortstop game. Derek Jeter.”

Jensen looked back at his boss, “Wh….how…..when?”

Harvey just smirked and said, “I know a lot of guys, Ackles. Usually only the good ones. You’re one of em by the way. I had lunch with a Derek last month and, because you’re one of the good ones, you came up in conversation. If I forget next week, tell the kid happy birthday from me,” then he laughed. “13, huh? Damn…..I gave my parents hell that year. What about you, Ackles?”

Jensen smiled bashfully and just said, “Jared and I had our first kiss on his 13th birthday. I remember 13 fondly.”


	2. The Ackles Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little more exposition about the new family dynamic for the boys as fathers and then an introduction to what will be one of the central conflicts in the story.

Jared drove Arlo to school per their little family routine. Since Jensen met with the DA every morning, he picked Arlo up at the end of the day. The kid was smart and volunteered to tutor after school in the hour between final bell and baseball practice. If it wasn’t baseball season, he worked with the debate team, which Jensen simply beamed over. 

“Dad, we need to start looking at high schools,” Arlo said, surprising Jared since their son usually listened to his headphones on the way to school.

“Kiddo, didn’t we agree that we’d talk about high school options—as a family—when you get back from baseball camp in a few weeks? That gives us two months to figure out applications and then two months between the end of school and the deadlines for commitments. What are you worried about?” He alternated looking at the road and his son. 

“It’s not so much that I’m worried it’s just that my past was always uncertain and now that I’m with you guys, I feel safe and secure. I just don’t like the feeling of unpredictability, ya know?” Arlo turned his attention out the window as he often did when he talked about life “Pre-Ackles” as he called it.

Jared reached over and squeezed his son’s shoulder in a conciliatory manner and said with a fatherly confidence he never thought he’d have, “I got it, Arl. Do you have an idea of which you want to go to?” Jared knew the answer before his son replied, but he needed to hear it anyway.

“Austin Hyde Park is really great. They’re in the top 25% of all private schools in the country. The country, Dad!! And the top 10% in Texas; third overall in Austin. Their average SAT scores are around 1250 and they have an almost 100% college acceptance rate,” Arlo’s excitement was palpable in the car but Jared couldn’t help himself from being a little sassy.

“And the fact that their baseball field is one of the top rated in the state and their team is really damn impressive didn’t factor into that dissertation?” He side-eyed his son and got the expected flush on his cheeks. 

“Well, yeah. That’s kind of important, too.”

“OK then. Sounds like you’ve got your mind made up. We’ll broach it with Coach when he gets home. Are you ever going to start calling him Dad, by the way?”

Arlington laughed at that. This conversation came up every once in a while with Jared.

“Dad, I can’t have Dad and Dad. It’ll get confusing. And I ain’t calling him Daddy, or Pop, or Papa. Just, no. Besides, he was Coach when I met him and he was Coach when I needed him the most. He’ll always be Coach to me.” 

Jared’s heart melted at that. He knew Jensen loved his nickname from his son and he never once made any mention that he didn’t get the dad moniker. With the exception of the blanket, “‘Hello, dads!’ or ‘Love you, dads!” Only Jared was ‘Dad’. 

They pulled up to Trinity Prep and Arlo grabbed his backpack and baseball duffel before waving to Jared and immediately catching up to a couple of friends.

Once he watched his son enter the school, he pulled away from the curb and headed towards HQ. He called Jensen on the bluetooth for their morning catch-up.

“Ackles,” came his husband’s harried tone. It was too early for that.

“Damn, babe. Meeting with Harvey went badly for once? Too much killer jawline in one room and you finally had to battle out the bone structure?” Jared had joked about that the first time he saw a picture of the DA and Jensen side by side.

“Nah, we still accept that we’re equally gorgeous and an aesthetic gift to all who see us,” Jensen snorted through the phone.

“Nice to hear that your self confidence isn’t as defeated as your voice sounds. What’s up, Jen?”

“Just going to be a killer week. Issues at the border are starting to trickle down through the red tape and just have to plan precautionary measures for a press conference Friday. Are you guys worried about immigration at HQ?”

“Well I ain’t in the office yet, but yeah. We know it’s a growing concern, but we’re looking at it objectively and without prejudice if that’s what you’re worried about,” Jared asked with a slight edge.

“Oh God, no. Not at all. I’m just trying to see if there’s more going on than I know right now. I mean, I’m sure there is but that’s why Specter is DA and I’m just a lowly stooge.”

“Babe, you’re hardly a lowly stooge. A loyal stooge? Absolutely,” he joked, earning a belly laugh from his husband. “Seriously, you’re OK, right?”

“Yeah, yeah. I can have Rachel grab me a coffee and I’ll be more human. How’s the boy child this morning?”

“You’ll be pleased to know that nature versus nurture has done a wonderful job morphing him into a little ‘you’ where anxiety is concerned. Poor thing is already thinking about high school applications.”

“Does the kid realize he’s not choosing a runningmate for Senate?”

Jared laughed as he often did with how in sync the two of them were. “That’s what I said. Kinda. He actually made quite a compelling argument for Hy…”

“Hyde Park, right? Yeah, they had a helluva baseball season the past few years and their academics are remarkable. We can talk about it tonight if you want? If he’s really worried about it already, it might be better to put the wheels in motion now. What do you want to do for dinner by the way? I think there’s salmon and shrimp in the freezer. We can do a seafood night with some grilled corn. It’s supposed to be a nice night, we can grill and eat outside.”

“Sounds like you’ve got your mind made up there, Counselor; sounds good to me. I think Arlo mentioned he wanted to join the boys at the park for a game under the lights tonight. What do you think about that?”

“As long as he’s home before 8 p.m., it’s fine. I’m not sure how much time that gives them under the lights, but it is a school night. Which can be added to the list of things I never thought I’d say.”

“All right that’s what I was thinking, too. And then…”

“Then that gives us some time to fuck like animals as loud as we want?” Jensen finished his husband’s thought word for word.

“Damn right, baby. I’m just about at work, I’ll give you a call later. You got Arlo, right?”

“Don’t I always?”

“Course you do. Love you, Jen.”

“Love you most.”

\--

“Hey Sarge, how ya doing?”

It had taken Jared some time to get used to answering to a higher rank, but he was constantly reassured by everyone--well, Mamas A and B, his husband, and their fathers--that he had earned it. 

“Can’t complain unless you’ve got something that’s about to ruin my morning, Captain,” Jared replied with an equal balance of respect and congeniality. Captain Alvarez was a good boss, but he missed Morgan and that no nonsense New York vibe sometimes. 

“Nothing more dramatic than usual. Although I hear the DA is having a presser later this week about issues at the border. Think your boy could give us some intel that might help us prepare the streets?”

And that was one of the reasons Jared had preferred Morgan. His former boss understood that Jared left Jensen’s work in his office and never invoked whatever information he got in his own work. 

“Cap, you know I’m not comfortable with that. Besides, I don’t know much about it. We’ll just have to wait and see what goes down at Friday’s conference,” he knew that wasn’t the answer Alvarez wanted, but he knew that he’d drop it.

“Can’t blame a guy for trying,” he responded and Jared had to bite back the retort that, “Yeah, I can blame you.” He turned to make his way to his office--not a cubicle anymore--and one of the uniforms handed him an old cold case file. “Shit,” he thought to himself. Last week of the month meant cold case review.

Each unit got handed a pile of cases at random and it was their job to review them for anything new that may have emerged since the original date of closing. Usually, he pawned them off arbitrarily, after a cursory review, of course. But one name caught his eye.

Aberdeen.

As in, Mickey and Sarah Aberdeen.

As in, the biological, deceased, parents of Arlington James Ackles...nee Aberdeen.

He kept that file.


	3. Welcoming Arlington Ackles

One of the perks of being sergeant was that he didn’t have to go on too many rides anymore. The only time his appearance was absolutely non-negotiable was if there was a personnel issue or if the Commissioner mandated it. That meant for one quiet afternoon, Jared could shut his door and review the cold case file that had landed in his lap.

He had seen the file before, of course, when they were going through the adoption. Both he and Jensen had to go thorough background checks, regardless of their respective careers; along with that came any outstanding legal issues that could potentially interfere with the process. That was the first time he became acquainted with Mickey Aberdeen and his wife Sarah Aberdeen (nee O’Houlihan). 

Both mother and father had emigrated from Ireland. They settled in South Boston for a while, like a lot of Irish folks. They found work easily: Mickey worked in a bar and Sarah was a nurse. Just a couple of harmless, middle-class folks. 

The cost of living in Boston became too much for them and when they discovered they were pregnant with Arlington, they moved to Texas. There was never any reason why they chose the Lone Star State; at least none the original detectives could find. The investigation deduced that the couple just simply, well, moved. Plausible enough theory. But Jared was of the mindset that 1) moving sucked and 2) people only moved if they had to. Whether for work, family, or other….there was always an underlying reason. 

So what was theirs?

\--

March 2022

Jared and Jensen sat in the social worker’s office, both knees bouncing with crippling anxiety. 

They had done the home visits. 

They had undergone the observation hours with Arlington. 

They had passed the redundant, in their opinion, background check. 

They had done everything right. And they were already in love with the kid. When Jensen came home two years prior telling Jared that God had answered his, and OK maybe their, prayers, Jared looked at him like his husband was crazy. But then Jensen, ever the lawyer, pled his case. Jared was nervous that Jensen was already too far in to be seeing clearly. But then over the course of the next several weeks, Jared saw the bond between his husband and their potential son grow organically into something familial. 

Jared got to know the little guy and his personality: bubbly and sarcastic and open and sharp. He could see what Jensen saw. Arlington had opened up to them both one day about how his life was different than other kids his age and he knew that. He couldn’t remember the night his parents died, could barely remember their faces, but he remembered their love. 

He had started to tear up and he looked up at them with bottle green eyes that made Jensen’s look gray. “I just want to feel that again, Coach. And Jared,” he had added Jared as an innocent afterthought and he couldn’t even feel upset. He watched as Jensen pulled the now crying little boy into his arms and rocked him until he calmed down. Jared knew what Jensen had known at first sight. This boy was an Ackles. 

March 2022

“Sorry for the delay, gentlemen. There were just a few final things we needed to review,” their social worker, Sally Marks, told them. Inadvertently that triggered panic in both men desperate to know what they had done wrong to hold up the process. She seemed to have noticed the palpable tension and quickly followed up with raised hands in a placating manner. “Sorry, sorry!!! There were a few things on our end we needed to review. A little administrative oversight, but it’s all straightened out.”

The men in front of her sagged in relief and clasped each other’s hands. The taller one was massaging the other’s hand with his thumb. She smiled softly to herself and was so happy to share good news with this couple. This was, sometimes, the only rewarding part of her otherwise emotionally jarring job. 

“Well gentlemen, I’ve got a little guy sitting outside whose birthday is in a few days. A few months ago he wrote his birthday list for me. It’s the first time he’s ever written one in all the years I’ve known him. The only thing on the list was….well I’ll let you see it…” She handed over a crumpled piece of paper written in the unmistakable handwriting of a child.

“All I want for my birthday this year is for Coach and Jared to be my Coach and Dad. And then maybe I can get a Nintendo for Christmas, but don’t tell them that, Ms. Marks.”

Jared and Jensen laughed through their tears and when they looked up Sally was holding some paperwork on a clipboard and trying to bite back a laugh of her own.  
“Um, Sally, we know why we’re emotional messes who don’t know whether to laugh or cry right now, but why are you?” Jensen found his voice first.

“If you peek to the door, it looks like someone got away from my assistant and wanted to watch you sign some papers,” she replied, beaming openly now.

Jensen received an armful of 10-year-old boy and both sets of green eyes watched as Jared was the first to sign his name as “Father”.

\--

Jared was pulled back from memory lane when someone knocked on his office door. 

“Yeaaap,” he drawled.

“Hey, Sarge, got a minute?” It was a rookie. Simpson, if he remembered correctly.

“Sure, what’s up?”

“I just had a question and tell me to totally mind my own business if I’m out of line, which I probably am, but I’m still learning so we can just chalk it up to youthful ignorance, right?” the kid spat out rapid fire and Jared had to laugh.

“You sound like my husband when he makes a decision he knows I’m not going to like but goes ahead with it anyway. Kid, as long as it isn’t about my husband or my son, a lot really don’t piss me off,” he replied after his laughter faded.

“That’s what everyone said you’d say!” The kid really was too much fun.

“You really that scared’a me, Simpson? I don’t bite,” he left off the part where he wanted to say, “That’s Jensen.”

“You’re a legend, man. Anyway, when you were disbursing those cold cases earlier. You don’t usually keep any and I noticed that you did. So it just piqued my interest and I didn’t know if maybe you wanted help on it.”

Jared, bad memories flipping through his mind about double-crossing cops and untrustworthy colleagues, tried to maintain his calm. Like the rookie said, he was new and just trying to learn. Maybe he genuinely just wanted to help. And it’s not like there was anything that could affect their family so he threw her a bone, or rather, the file.

“Against what experience tells me, Imma take you up on your offer.” He was still clutching the file as Simpson was clutching the other side. “Imma warn you, though. I’ve been burned, screwed, and royally fucked over before and I’m all outta patience and compassion where shit like this is concerned. I’m a sergeant now so I don’t have a partner, but if I did, it’d take a helluva lot for me to even consider trusting him or her.” 

Simpson, Katie--now that his memory cleared a bit--looked appropriately intimidated and maybe a little scared as she nodded and took the file.

“This file,” he motioned to the folders in her hands, “It’s, as labeled, a cold case. No one was ever able to find who the robbers were who killed the Aberdeens. It was ruled a robbery, but I’m thinking there was maybe something more behind it.”

Katie nodded again and since she was half in already decided to continue her brazen questioning. “Sarge, no offense,” he smirked--impressed with the kid’s bravado-- “I already noticed you don’t take cold cases. And I know that robberies are way below your paygrade now. So….why this one?”

Jared swallowed and leaned forward resting his forearms on his desk, shoulders wide and intimidating, jaw clenching and unclenching in a power move. “Flip the file open to page 3.” He watched as she did and saw her eyes widen.

“They had a 4-year-old son at home. Arling…..”

“Arlington James.”

“Sarge, that’s your…..”

“My son. Correct. Remember what I just said, Katie. If it’s about my family, I get pissed. And I get pissed fast. And I remember everything about how and why and who pissed me off. You still want to offer your help?”

She cleared her throat a couple of times in trepidation and finally she nodded and said with a confidence that surprised them both, “I won’t let you down, Sir.”

“Atta girl. Dismissed.”

And with that he grabbed his suit jacket from the hook and followed her out of his office and out of HQ. It was 5:30 p.m., and if he knew his husband--which he did--Jensen had already grabbed Arlo and let him head down to the park. They’d eat dinner around 8 p.m. when their son got home. 

In the meantime? He needed a serious distraction and when he checked his phone, he knew exactly what kind of distraction that would be.

Jared saw Jensen’s devilish face peering up at the camera on his phone, shirtless, with his hand in his boxer briefs cupping himself. The text simply read, “Arlo’s off to play, get your ass home so we can do the same. Ly.”


	4. And Then There's That (NC17 Chapter)

Jared pulled into their driveway in Allandale and, tease that he was, sat in the car for a few minutes to get Jensen all impatient and huffy...until he got huffy for a different reason.

They loved their neighborhood and they loved their house: a Meditteranean-style raised ranch set back off the road, which gave them some nice privacy. The shrubbery they had planted at their property line also created a nice shaded front yard, which was necessary for the warmer weather in Austin. Their backyard was quiet this time of year, the inground pool was covered and winterized, their gazebo was filled with leaves that still needed to be raked, and probably an empty beer bottle or two that had been forgotten one night. The grill was still out on their back patio because grilling was a rain or shine, hot or cold sport. French doors lined the back of the house and provided lots of natural light. It was Arlington’s and Jensen’s bane when they had to wake up early, which was any time before noon, but all three of them enjoyed the airy feel it gave the house. 

He gave himself one more minute until his husband’s anticipated text, which came after 29 seconds of smirking silently. One simple word, no affections.

“Now.”

\--

Jared walked into the house and tossed his keys, sunglasses, and jacket on the armoire by the door. Everything had its assigned place because Jensen was a neurotic fuck, but everyone abided by the unspoken law of the household. He made his way down the master hallway, which led to their suite. Arlington’s room was down the other hallway with a few stairs leading down to a reverse loft-type space. It was perfect for an almost teenage boy, and it was perfect for his two fathers who still liked to enjoy relatively vocal sex even if the kid was home. They didn’t do it often because they still felt “off” about it, but they managed to squeeze in some time when they wanted...or needed.

Lethargically, Jared stretched himself in the double doorway of their bedroom. He casually peeked out from behind his bangs to see Jensen laying in the same position he had been in the text. One leg bent at the knee and slightly parted, the other stretched out, hand down his boxers stroking his already filling cock. Jared’s mouth watered when, upon closer inspection, there was a puddle of precome soaking through his husband’s boxers already. Good. 

He lost his clothes as he made his way to the bed, neither of them having spoken a word yet; they didn’t need to. Jared climbed onto their mattress and positively crawled up to seal his lips against Jensen’s, which were opened expectantly. Their tongues tangled languidly with their eyes opened and locked on each other, watching the other’s darken with lust. Jensen took the hand which had been cradling himself and pawed at Jared’s face with the precome that had slicked the palm. Jared preened.

Jensen moved his hand to Jared’s nape and slowly directed him down towards his throbbing dick. He knew he wouldn’t last long, which was a shame, but they were on limited time and Jensen would no doubt be ready to blow just as soon as Jared swallowed him to the root. Fucking pornstar throat on his husband. Jared immediately licked his lips wantonly as he slipped his husband’s underwear down, under his ass, down his legs, and to the side of the bed.

He dipped his head forward, making sure his bangs teased his lashes adding an innocent look that just riled Jensen up more, and lapped out at the mushroom head with little kitten licks.

“Shit,” Jensen’s reaction was instantaneous and he thunked his head back against the headboard as he pet Jared’s hair. “So fucking good at that, Jay.”

Jared smiled around the cock in his mouth, even though Jensen couldn’t see it; he was such a slut for the adoration and worship. After years of this, they knew every vein, ridge, and curve of the other; and they knew just how to use it. Jared massaged his tongue under the head and slipped his lips back and forth in opposition. Once Jensen was coherent enough afterwards, he’d always comment that Jared’s mind was either seriously fucked or seriously magic that he could coordinate his ministrations like that.

Jared breathed in through his nose and went down all the way to the base, sealing his lips against his husband’s neatly trimmed pelvis. He kept the piece of flesh lodged firmly in his throat, making sure to swallow a few times before he gagged. “Fuck, baby. If your ass wasn’t so hot, you’d always be on your knees. Fucking candy soft mouth, velvet tongue, loud ass suction...listen to yourself, baby.”

Jared knew he was loud in bed, and blowing Jensen was no different. Again, he smirked before pulling off and grinning at his husband. He didn’t bother wiping his face, just made a show of licking the residue and leaning in for a positively filthy kiss.

His husband wasted no time in flipping him on his back and spreading his thighs unceremoniously with his hands. Jared barely had a moment to catch his breath before he felt lube being shot directly at his hole followed almost simultaneously with his husband’s ring finger. Jared tossed his head back as he bared his throat in submission. Jensen’s ring was rubbing his insides while he reached up to entangle his fingers in the gold at Jared’s neck. 

Jensen worked his way to three fingers, adding lube and spitting when it was needed. “Still so fucking loud and wet, kiddo. This hole is almost as loud as the other,” he said through a wolfish grin before squeezing Jared’s throat then lightly slapping his hand against his husband’s jaw to pull his face back to his. Jared was gasping and moaning and clawing at any part of Jensen he could reach.

“Need you, Jen. Need to feel you,” he whimpered as Jensen kept his hand around his jaw in an act of dominance. 

“Yeah, baby; I need this ass, too. You just happen to be a bonus because you’re connected to that goddamn beautiful hole.” Jensen slapped Jared’s cheek softly before biting his husband’s bottom lip. After unlatching his teeth, they were connected by a strand of saliva; Jensen winked before impressively manhandling Jared like he weighed nothing. 

Jared’s legs were splayed to either side of his husband’s hips and his ass was nestled in the space between his broad thighs...right at cock level, which was the plan.

Jensen reached down to line himself up and pushed in slowly, teasing every thick inch of vein and skin into Jared’s willing body. His husband practically melted against the duvet supporting his back and he flexed his inner thighs to grip his husband’s powerful torso. It was an awkward position, but Jensen was a talented fucker--pun fully intended--and maneuvered his husband’s limbs into a cooperative position for both of their pleasure. 

“Always so goddamn good, Jen; y’feel perfect inside me,” Jared whispered out so softly that Jensen had to slow his grinding to hear it over the slapping of skin meeting skin. 

“Could spend an eternity inside you, baby. Damn but your ass is fire,” Jensen groaned out, eyes rolling into the back of his head as he ran one hand up and down Jared’s side. He traced the lines of muscle and sinew that Jared worked so hard for. All that tan skin flushly glistening with the exertion of being held open and being impaled on cock. Jared’s head lagged to the side and Jared lifted his hand up to his mouth.

Jared suckled on Jensen’s thumb, more saliva adding to the mess that was already drying on his chin and down his jaw from where he tossed his head side to side in pleasure. The two men groaned and fucked in tandem, leading up to animalistic grunts and curses sworn out into the otherwise tranquil room. Jensen locked his hands onto Jared’s hips and locked his eyes on the place they were connected. Seeing the red of the hole growing brighter and brighter from the intrusion just spurred his hips on faster. 

He lifted one hand and spit into it before wrapping it around Jared’s leaking, jumping dick, which earned him an embarrassingly high-pitched wail of rapture. They pistoned towards their finishes, coming together--Jared spraying his stomach and Jensen’s forearms, and Jensen emptying deep inside Jared’s core.   
\--

After they showered, including double shampooing and double soaping, they dressed their respective sweats and tshirts and made their way onto the patio. It was around 7:30 p.m. by that point and they were enjoying a glass of Malbec when they heard the front door open and slam shut, regardless of how many times that boy had been told that they didn’t live in a barn.

“M’home!!!” Arlington yelled. His voice drifted through an open window and was followed shortly thereafter by a dirty, sweaty teenage (almost) boy trodding out onto the patio. He dramatically draped himself on the patio swing and immediately started talking to his fathers about the game. Per usual, once Arlo got talking about baseball, it was hard to veer him off track; it took Jensen four times to try to reroute the conversation.

“So how was school today, bud? You know...the place we send you for the majority of your day. Unless now is the time you tell us that you’re actually truant and spend your days wreaking havoc in Downtown Austin,” Jensen finally got a solid 30 seconds of silence on which he pounced.

“Coach, Dad watches me go into school. Besides, I haunt East Austin,” he added with a wink. “School was good, debate on Friday. Immigration reform I think,” he jumped up and started picking at the salad that was on the table.

Jared and Jensen looked at each other. “And you just found out about this debate today?” Jared broached wearily. The following hesitation was enough confirmation for him. “Arl, when did you find out about this?”

“Last Tuesday?” 

“Are you asking us or telling us, kiddo?” Jensen this time. 

“I’ve prepared though!!! Coach, do you want to see my notes?” Arlo was starting to panic.

“Arlo, it’s fine, we believe you. Besides, we wanted to talk high school tonight; we can save the debate stuff for tomorrow. Unless you want to switch the order of dinner conversation?” Jensen added sensing their son’s anxiety amping up.

“Oh, no. High school is fine. Debate is fine tomorrow. Thanks, Coach. Thanks, Dad,” Arlo visibly relaxed and reached for one of the more well done salmon filets when the front door rang. “I’ll ge….”

Jared had barely sat so he was already half up. “Arlo, sit. You just got home from a long day and you need to eat. It’s my house anyway so I should answer the door,” Jared chose his pronoun carefully knowing it would get a reaction.

“It’s our house, baby. I’m paying attention.”

Jared walked in the house towards the entryway and smiled as he heard his two boys yapping enthusiastically about school...or whatever else they settled on. 

He opened the door to find Katie standing there, ashen-faced and holding the file folder in her shaking hand. This wasn’t good. “Katie….what’s wrong?”

“There’s something you and Jensen need to know.”


	5. Everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I changed Arlo’s mother’s name because she kept changing to Sarah in my mind. I’m hoping to update at least a chapter a day, maybe more, maybe less depending upon inspiration of the day. Thanks for sticking with me and for your lovely comments.
> 
> Also, this is kind of a shorter chapter. I wrote it in Google Docs from my phone because I wasn’t by my computer. I usually aim for about 1500 words a chapter and I think this fell short. 
> 
> I’ll try to upload the next chapter later on when I’m at my computer to compensate.

Arlington had gone off to bed shortly after dinner, ignorant to the tension that followed his father back to the table. Jared wasn’t so lucky that Jensen didn’t pick up on it. Observant bastard.

They had kissed their son on his floppy head and let him do his own nighttime routine. He was a good kid and was as predictable as Jensen. He went into his bathroom, which OK was a disaster, showered, brushed his teeth and then did some homework til 10 p.m. It was rare that they saw their son again before the morning. 

As soon as Arlo’s shower switched on, Jensen switched his eyes to Jared’s locked up form. “Tell me just what in the actual fuck is going on.” 

Instead of answering, Jared went into the study to retrieve the file that had just become a nuclear bomb in his life. Jensen didn’t even have the time process his husband’s abrupt departure before he returned and slapped a file in front of Jensen.

“You never bring files home and this sure as hell wasn't in the study when I got home so I can only reduce that your little mystery guest brought this over. You having underlings bring things home for you now? That’s kind of douchey, Sergeant.” Jensen was trying to lighten the mood but it just pissed Jared off more. He shouldn’t have been surprised because fury was simmering beneath Jared’s skin. 

“Save your jokes, asshole, and open that to page 17. I’m going to get the whiskey.” Again Jared disappeared. 

“When did that lanky fucker turn into a goddamn ninja?” Jensen thought to himself. Before he could find page 17, a whiskey tumbler was slammed next to it with enough force to spill a little onto the folder. 

Jared just stared at Jensen’s face as he started to read, and digest what he was seeing.

“Sarah was…..never pregnant? How the fuck did this go undetected in the murder investigation?!” Jensen’s fury was marching Jared’s now. If they weren’t so caught up in emotion, they’d be proud of themselves for managing to keep their voices down. 

“Well, dear, love of my life, it was a murder and robbery investigation, not an OBGYN consult,” Jared sneered.

“Not really the time for sarcasm, kiddo,” Jensen replied back just as snidely before downing his tumbler and tapping its side indicating a refill. “Sorry, sorry,” he breathed in, “This is a lot. Goddamn but you got some serious control over your emotions if you kept that in through dinner.” 

“Add it to my list of talents,” Jared remarked blandly. 

“OK so….eight years ago Arlo’s parents, who apparently weren’t his parents, were gunned down walking to their car. No one else claimed him, which ended fortuitously for us, but now….”

“Now we gotta wonder if no one came forward because they didn’t know who he actually was,” Jared finished.

“And who is he?”

Jared stood up from the table in a fury, tumbler in hand and sloshing onto the patio. “Jesus Goddamn Fuck, Jensen! He’s our son!!! Who the fuck cares what his biology is, you bastard?!”

OK, fucking livid then. Jensen knew that Jared was religious so hearing those words in that tone was enough to scare him into trepidation. He approached his husband like he would a stray puppy, hands up placatingly, and slowly.

“First of all, I know you’re upset, so Imma let that slide; but don’t you ever for one goddamn second think that that boy isn’t my entire life. Same as you. Jesus, Jared.” Jensen walked a lap around the patio as he ran his hands through his hair in hopeless frustration. He sat on one of the benches lining the patio and sighed. Deeply. “Jay, baby, what are we….what are we gonna do? I can’t...we can’t lose him.”

Jared came over and sat next to his husband equally weary, knee bouncing. “We’re not going to lose him,” he squeezed Jensen’s knee, looking purposefully ahead and not into Jensen’s eyes lest he see the same heartbreak brewing that he felt in his heart. Then Jared gulped audibly. 

“Jen, what if,” clearing his throat again, “What if no one found out about this?”

Jensen paused before he responded. “I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t my first thought but. Baby. If we keep this to ourselves, they’ll take him for sure. We need to find a compromise that doesn’t jeopardize Arlington...or our jobs…..but mostly Arlington,” he hung his head and took a deep breath. “That kid who brought the file?”

“Katie? She’s fresh out of the academy. Hasn’t been jaded by anything yet. A little green and a lot wide-eyed…but she brought the file here instead of alerting anyone else so….I’m inclined to think we can trust her with this.”

“Jay, I’m not thinking of keeping her on our nonexistent payroll as a secret keeper. If you start taking a cold case seriously, people are going to notice. If a rookie is assigned a cold case by a sergeant? No one’s gonna look twice,” Jensen was thinking out loud.

“So what do you think I should do? Call her?”

“Well not now….it’s late. Talk to her tomorrow when you go in. I’ll try to innocuously poke around family court and special victims for cases around 2011 when Arlo was born. Maybe back a bit further to see if the Aberdeens popped up anywhere,” Jensen’s lawyer brain was firing on all cylinders. 

“Good, that’s, yeah good plan. Two things we agree on right now though. This stays between us, and I guess Katie; and two. We keep it from Arlo for now,” he held up his hand as Jensen started to interject.

“No, I know what you’re going to say. The kid has had so much uncertainty in his life. You didn’t hear him this morning. I mean, I know you’ve heard him before. Not knowing what’s next triggers everything in him.”

“No, I know you’re right. I just hate the idea of keeping something like this from him. It’s huge. It’s life changing. It’s…..it’s fucking terrifying.”

“I know, babe. So. You wanna pretend we’re going to get some sleep tonight?” Jared snorted. 

Jensen laughed humorlessly and they started clearing up the area. They turned to go inside and froze when they saw Arlington in the doorway. “I got a weird feeling so I came out to check on you guys,” he said. 

They both prayed that their son couldn’t hear their hearts beating out of their chests in a panic. 

“We’re all right, bud. Just having boring grown up talk,” Jared drawled out. 

Arlington didn’t seem rattled at all, a little tired but nothing to indicate he had heard his fathers’ conversation. 

Arlo came up to them and gave them both a strong hug around their middles; each of his fathers putting a hand on his head and back respectively.

This right here, was everything. And they’d fight for it with everything.


	6. This Shit Again

“Mr. Ackles? The DA wants to see you,” his legal secretary, Rachel, popped her head into his office. His desk was filled with drafts of remarks for Friday’s press conference; but they hadn’t been touched—let alone edited—in the hours since Jensen had gotten to his office. He tried to mask his groan of frustration, but if Rachel’s blush and awkward shuffle away was anything to go by? He failed. “At least pretend like you’ve got your shit together, Ackles,” he gave himself a half-assed pep talk. 

Their offices were in an executive wing of the District Attorney building, or TCDA. You needed special badges to get onto their floor, and yet additional credentials embedded on your fob to get into their suite. 

Jensen strode past Specter’s two executive assistants—Jill and Julia. It was always easy to remember that because they were two Js, like him and Jared. He knocked on the DA’s doorframe before striding to the leather chair he usually sat in. 

“You wanted to see me, boss?”

Harvey was tossing one of his prized baseballs up and down and then surprised Jensen by tossing it to him. Muscle memory, amazing as it was, didn’t quite help his reflexes as the ball sailed past him.

“Damn, Ackles. You’re rusty. Who’s training that boy of yours?” He laughed all white teeth and eye crinkles; and yeah, Jensen could understand his comments about their similarities. At the mention of “that boy of yours”, the color drained from his face. Specter apparently noticed because the next words out of his mouth were, “Shit, Jensen. Arlington OK? You just paled something ghostlike for a minute.”

Jensen, luckily, had learned to think on his feet since becoming a father. “Oh yeah...just coming down with a bug or something—been feverish off and on all day.” He was grateful for the convincing pallor he could actually feel on his face and the panic-induced clamminess moistening his skin. 

“That explains it, then.”

“Wow, thanks man. I didn’t realize I looked like that big a pile of shit,” Jensen replied in a wry joking manner. 

“Nah, man. Not that. I asked for a revised draft of remarks by 1000 today. It’s after lunch. That’s not like you to miss a deadline without some kind of heads-up.”

Jensen froze. What the fuck time was it? He didn’t even take lunch, which meant Rachel hadn’t either. Shit. 

“Don’t worry about it. We’ve got a few days til Friday so let’s just pretend I said 1000 tomorrow instead, k? Matter of fact, why don’t you go home for the day. Maybe you’ll feel better with a little R + R and we can try again tomorrow with a fresh set of eyes,” the DA compassionately suggested. 

Jensen didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath til the audible exhale jarred him out of his thoughts. “Actually, yeah, Harvey; that’d be great.”

“Don’t sweat it. And also….don’t get used to it. Get some rest, man. Looks like you need it. No offense, but I’m not used to being the Office Pretty Face; it’s unsettling.” He really was a great boss….helluva lot better than Brown, who ended up being a corrupt piece of shit. 

“No, we decided that what happened in Brooklyn stayed in Brooklyn. Besides, I’ve worked with Specter for months; guy can be a hardass but he bleeds the law.” Jensen was going to give himself an ulcer.

He made his way back to his office to grab everything he’d wrangled up from the bureaus he discussed with Jared and almost bumped into Rachel as she was leaving the kitchenette; which reminded him. 

“Rach, I’m so sorry. I lost track of time and worked through lunch with totally screwed you over. I’m out for the afternoon, why don’t you take it, too?” Jensen hoped the small olive branch would keep her hanger in check.

She sighed in relief and replied, “Thank you so much, boss. You’re a good man, you just get lost in that little cave of yours sometimes. Enjoy your afternoon.”

“You too, hun,” he smiled and headed for the elevator. He knew exactly where he’d spend his free time. 

—

He leaned against his Mercedes, the one superfluous purchase he had made to celebrate 10 years as a working ADA in the US Court System. He had texted Jared to let him know in the unexpected way the day played out and Jared practically squealed in delight on the other end of the phone. “That’s awesome, baby!! Have fun! Give the kiddo a big ole kiss from me!!”

“Jesus, Jared. How much Diet Coke’d you have?”

“Oh I lost count.”

“Good. Very healthy, Sarge.”

“Go play like the little boy you are.”

And right on cue, Arlington walked out of the school completely perplexed to see his dad, on a workday, at 2:30 p.m., at his school, in sweats and his old UT Austin baseball sweatshirt. It still had some of the letters from Ackles, Captain left and it still kinda fit. Kinda. 

“Coach?” He came up and hugged Jensen as he received an affectionate hair tousle. 

“So. I got sent home from school today for bad behavior and I thought, how would Arlo play hooky? And then I remembered that we’ve raised the perfect child who would never, ever consider playing hooky so I altered my train of thought. What would little Arlo Ackles do on his one mental health day his oh-so-woke parents allot him?”

“Coach, your hypothetical soliloquies are getting longer the older you get. 1. I’ve already played hooky. My East Austin reign of terror remember? 2. Don’t say woke. and 3. Baseball. Which is why you’re dressed in nothing short of your spring/summer 2022 uniform. Might be time to toss the sweatshirt, by the way,” Jensen was really fucking impressed with their kid. Sure, everyone said that about their own kids; but this one? Perfect. Genetics could fuck off before this and they damn well would fuck off even further outfield when this passed. And it would, Jensen (and Jared) would make sure of it.

“Come on, bud. Which field you wanna own?”

“Would it be totally lame to head to our field?”

Jensen’s heart melted because he knew exactly which field he was referring to. The field where their lives changed forever.

“Let’s go, Arl. You can pick the music.”

—

Jared, as he had told Jensen, was on Diet Coke 8 or 9 of the day. He had given it up for Lent and it lasted about a week before Jensen told him, “Jesus Christ, Jared. I know you gave it up for a good reason and all; but I am begging you. For the good of this household and our marriage, just pick up a goddamn soda so you stop biting everyone’s heads off and stop complaining about that damn migraine.”

Jared caved and prayed the rosary about 18 times since. OK that was an exaggeration but damn the caffeine felt good, made him feel normal. He was just a little more…...excitable than usual. 

In a rare moment of lucidity, he spotted Katie’s head walking by his office and he hollered at her to come in. “Hey, Katie, I just wanted to say thanks for bringing that folder by last night,” then he watched as her eyes opened and she, intuitively, shut the door behind her.

“I just got the feeling that you didn’t want anyone else to know about this in case you decided to do something about it,” Jared could tell she was fishing on some hint to his and Jensen’s gameplan.

“Imma be honest with you, OK? We’re really freaked out about this because if it this gets out, it could jeopardize our adoption. If we find out that the only reason no one came forward as his next of kin was because they were looking at the wrong kin? Our lives are destroyed. Arlo’s, too. You with me so far?”

Katie nodded solemnly so he continued. 

“Remember what I said about trusting people on the job? How I feel when it comes to my son and my husband? Imma need a verbal confirmation on this one.”

“Yes, sir. I remember,” she gulped with the sinking feeling that she had already fucked up...somehow.

“Good, the reason I am reminding you is because Jensen and I had a discussion about this clusterfuck last night. We’re going to work on it internally, that includes you. You OK with that?”

She nodded with conviction and surprised Jared with her words. “I do. I mean, I am. I’ll sign an affidavit or whatever else you need me to. If it makes you feel more comfortable with this thing, I’ll give you any guarantee you need,” she finished in a rush.

Jared sat back and looked at her scrupulously for a moment. He just waited her out giving her his best “Empathetic Detective” look. Jensen always said it wasn’t really a “Good Cop” look, because people were skeptical of that shit. 

She sighed and whispered out a few heartbreaking sentences, but they weren’t all that unexpected. “I was adopted. My family kept it from me for years and didn’t tell me til I was 18. I flipped out and joined the Academy. Haven’t spoken to my family in years.”

Shit. 

“Look, Katie. I don’t want this to be triggering or upsetting for you. If you want to run out that door right now, I won’t stop you.”

“You don’t understand, Boss. That’s why I want to help. I’ve been on the ‘wronged by the system’ team and it sucks. If I can keep another one off the team? I will,” she said with a determination that went well beyond her years. Yet, Jared couldn’t keep some protective paternal banter in their conversation. 

“You know. Arlo wasn’t really wronged by the system, the detectives on the Aberdeen case fucked up and/or were too lazy to think outside the box. But at the end of the day, Arlington is safe, loved, and really fucking impressive at everything. I’m not going to let this fuck him up, because then I’d have to join the ‘Wronged by the System’ team and the only team I wanna be on right now is with my family at the ballfield.” He had surprised himself by that pronouncement that he was leaving for the day, but really? No one could stop him.

Katie smiled so brightly, her face nearly split. Well not really, but Jared had a hyperbolic mind. He was halfway to the door when she almost tripped in her haste to get up. “Just one thing before you go, Sarge? I may have already dug a little deeper into Mickey Aberdeen and Sarah O’Houlihan. Seems that not only was Sarah never pregnant, they also were never legally married.”

“OK, that’s kind of weird but sometimes a common law marriage is enough for adoption paperwork to go through. And they were already deceased by the time we got him, so….”

“Sorry, burying the lede here,” she wasn’t used to Jared’s impatient side so he decided to introduce that part if they were going to work together. 

“I strongly advise you don’t do that with me. Shooting first and asking questions later works fine…,sometimes.”

“Right. Sarah was a nurse at St David’s South,” Jared opened his mouth to retort,”Which is where Arlo was born. Correct. But you know who else was born there on March 30, 2008? Kennedy O’Malley, Jr. Only Kennedy O’Malley, Jr. was declared a stillborn. Sarah was his nurse. Mother and father were too distraught to see their son, and ordered him cremated. There isn’t any record on file of a stillborn birth and there isn’t any record on file of a cremation. There is, however, a certificate dated with the same time of birth as Kennedy. It just has your son’s name on it.”

“So Arlington’s real name is Kennedy? Well thank fuck he never has to know that. JFK is his least favorite president,” Jared laughed not quite catching the daunting look on Katie’s face. 

“Jared….you do know who Kennedy O’Malley is, right?”

“Should I?”

“Shit I keep forgetting that you haven’t been in Texas for a while. Jared, Kennedy O’Malley is Kerry Kenny.”

“Oh…...Kay?”

“Jesus I have to spell this out. Kennedy O’Malley is the Irish Kingpin in Austin. He never told anyone they were expecting because they didn’t want anything to happen to his heir. And now…..”

“Now a cop and an ADA are raising him as their own.”

Fuck.


	7. Same Shit, Different Day

“Are you motherfucking kidding me Jared?! The mob?! A different fucking mob?! Again!????? Goddamnit,” Jensen was practically shaking with fury and Jared was glad that, for once, they allowed Arlo a sleepover--elsewhere--on a school night. Of course he had had an ulterior motive knowing that he and Jensen needed to have a serious talk that was going to get seriously loud. And he also knew that he couldn’t even mention the word ‘mob’ before Mrs. Klausen called to confirm their son’s safe arrival otherwise the kid would be homeschooled until grad school.

\--  
Earlier that Evening

“Dads, can I stay over Caleb’s house tonight? We need to review our final debate notes and Ms. Klausen was going to drive Caleb to school early tomorrow anyway to practice in the auditorium, which is what you were going to do too,” Arlo always came prepared with a proposition.

“No, you know the rules.”  
“Sure, that makes sense.”

“What?”  
“What?”

“What?” Their son parrotted as if he was already anticipating the solid negative response.His big green eyes volleyed between his parents as if watching a tennis match. Observant little guy that he was, however, he took the moment of silence as the ‘go ahead’ and practically sprinted to grab his overnight things. 

The Klausens lived exactly 15 yards away. They were the literal definition of next door neighbors. Jensen couldn’t get too mad about that, right? Wrong.

Jared and Jensen kept staring at each other blinking. One pair of eyes confused as to when they were no longer on the same team when it came to their son. The other with a bomb in his pocket waiting to throw through their wall. Probably with shrapnel everywhere, including their bedroom. Shit. 

“Um, so I’m going to just head over because I don’t really know what just happened and I don’t really want to be here for the fallout…..whichever it may be.” They had to give the kid credit for trying to lighten the mood.

Jared moved first and squeezed their son tightly before saying the typical parent spiel: “Have his mom call when you get there. Keep your phone on. That means volume, too. Call one of us on your way to school and then text us when you’re there.” 

“Dad, I’m walking not even a minute through the lit path connecting our properties and I’ve done this approximately 872 times. I promise never to ask for a sleepover--even if it’s a working sleepover, mind you--on a school night again. Y’all are stressing me out. Love you, guys. Try to kill each other quietly so Ms. Klausen doesn’t freak out, k?” Again with the humor. At least this time Jared snorted out a laugh. Jensen? Silence. 

The door slammed shut with a foreboding sense of dramatic effect and Jared stowed himself for what he was turning around to face.

“Talk.”

\---  
Currently

Jensen was moving with lightning speed before he grabbed his cell phone. Jared didn’t pause before launching himself at Jensen and canceling the call.

“The fuck you do that for?! You do realize that you let our son sleep at a stranger’s house the same night you found out that he’s some heir apparent to a mob we know nothing about? The fucking fuck is wrong with you?!” Jensen was pacing like a caged animal, which was never a good sign. Jared, however, was pleased that he knew his husband well enough to expect this. Hence? Sleepover.

“Can we sit like civilized people, Jen? I let him go because this conversation is important, really fucking important. And I knew that we’d both get heated and emotions would blow logic out the water so now we’ve got the house alone to do just that. Neither of us are firing on the right cylinders right now. Arlo can’t be here for that, not now, not ever. He knows things aren’t always going to be perfect, but he will not see his parents screaming. I refuse to let that happen,” Jared stood his proverbial ground while simultaneously making his way to the couch in their study.

“Dammit, Jay. You can’t just..make these decisions without me. We’re a team, we said that in our vows, we said that the morning of his adoption. You can’t join the draft without sharing that gamechanger,” Jensen was trying really hard not to pout...in anger not flirtation.

Jared scrubbed his hand down his face. “Jesus, Jensen. The only decision I made was to let him go to Caleb’s house, who, by the way? Not even remotely a stranger so take it down about 18 notches, k?”

“False,” Jensen pointed sharply at Jared, not making contact though--they didn’t touch during fights. “You decided to keep this mob thing to yourself. Yourself!!! How could you even remotely think that was a) acceptable and b) a good idea? Especially after Brooklyn!!!!” Jensen seemed finally depleted of his rage diatribe and sagged next to Jared on the couch.

“18 notches, babe. I did not decide to keep anything to myself. When would you have had us perform this little Greek tragedy? Over the dinner table? Perhaps I should’ve texted you so you could have given Arlo a trailer version on the car ride home? This was the only time to talk--the soonest time to talk--and the opportunity presented itself to do so. So, here we are.”

Jensen was quiet for a few minutes, the only thing Jared could hear was his jaw clicking and his throat swallowing. He looked down desperately wanting to hold Jensen’s hand--they were through the loud part now, surely. Touching would be OK? When he saw Jensen’s hand, he saw that old cigarette muscle memory tick working overtime as he rubbed his fingers back and forth against each other. Jared let his head fall back against the couch and whispered above, “What the fuck are we gonna do, Jen?”

“I don’t know. That whole shitstorm in Brooklyn was enough but at least we’re two grown ass men. Arlo is 500% innocent in all this. We need to figure out just how Sarah--if that’s even her name, fucking fraud, rest in peace--was able to swap out a baby in the hospital without anyone noticing. And more importantly why,” Jensen groaned in the frustration of too much information and not enough to make sense of.

Jared surprised his husband by standing up and moving away from the couch.

“What, pray tell, could be so important that you’re aborting this conversation, darling husband?” Pissy bitch, rightfully so, but still.

Jared held up a steno pad that was spilling out of one of the desk drawers and raised it as if he had won a Golden Ticket to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. “Notes, we need to start notes before this goes any further.”

Jensen’s mouth just fell open into an ‘O’. 

“Not just a pretty face with a hot ass, babe,” Jared coaxed a snort out of Jensen so when he approached, he caressed his shoulders as he sat down. 

“We’re going to have to talk to some people so I’ll start writing. You go make us some tea; you need it. I’ll have a whiskey,” Jared said the last part jokingly knowing full well that Jensen would clock him with a throw pillow on his way to the kitchen.

He wasn’t disappointed.

Jensen was back within 10 minutes, which OK longer than Jared expected. He just quirked an eyebrow and noticed that Jensen had changed into a pair of Jared’s sweats and a matching t-shirt. Normally that would have Jared naked and on the bed within minutes, but it just added to the somber tone of the room.

“Here’s your tea, asshole,” Jensen handed a tumbler of whiskey over to Jared.

“Baby, I was kidding. If I start drinking, I may march next door and kidnap our own child; any chance you….”

“Brought another teacup?” Jensen quirked his own eyebrow and handed it over. They kissed sweetly and looked down at Jared’s first draft “witness list”. 

Hospital supervisors, here and Boston.

Restaurant managers, here and Boston.

Original investigating detectives. Awesome. 

Kennedy and Abigail O’Malley. Double awesome. 

Maybe they should keep the whiskey nearby. For medicinal reasons.


	8. Welcome to the A-Team

For the second time in a week, Katie was shifting her weight from side to side on her senior officer’s porch. “I was literally graduating from the Academy two weeks ago,” she thought to herself, completely unaware that the lock had been switched on the door in front of her. Only when she heard a smooth voice did she come back to her senses. And woah...not the boss.

She teetered back on her heels for a minute to check the address even though she knew she was in the right place. “Uhh…….” That was her very intelligent opening remark to Johnny Handsome in front of her. She assumed this was her boss’s husband and, yeah, logically she knew he’d have to be gorgeous because her boss wasn’t too bad himself.

“I assume you’re Katie? Unless you’re selling a timeshare, in which case, we’ll pass. But I’m assuming you are, in fact, Officer Simpson, and you’re right on time for when Jared said to expect you,” Jensen made a show of looking down at his watch. 

“Huh, Rolex,” she thought. Then she remembered he was the uppermost ADA at TCDA and figured he must be doing OK. Not that she didn’t think Jared...no Sergeant...didn’t do OK...but dammit what was wrong with her babbling like this?

Jensen’s eyes crinkled and he chuckled out and just led the way inside with a paternal, “C’mon in, kid. We’ve got tea because I told Jay no whiskey just yet. But we’ve got sodas and water in the fridge if you want it. You may have to fight Jared for one of his precious chemical juices but he likes you so it should be an easy fight.”

She liked him.

Once they got to the dining room table, she saw that different files were out with different colored Post-Its, markers, their own notebooks, and two laptops open and glowing. “So I assume you told the husband…..” She realized she never got his name.

“Jensen,” he said holding out his hand. 

“I’m not usually so spazzy it’s just…..”

“Yeah, yeah Simpson. Jensen is the prettiest prettiest princess you’ve ever seen,” Jared joked from his computer without even looking up. Jensen shot him a death glare and Katie, momentarily, froze--again. 

“Actually I was just wondering how I could rescue the poor guy from having to put up with the likes of you,” she shrugged off her coat and sat down right in the middle of the two computers. Jared finally raised his eyes to meet hers before a mischievous glow came into his eyes. 

“I make it worth his while,” he said smugly, which made her choke on the glass of water in front of her and caused Jensen to throw his head back in a throaty cackle.

OK so this could be fun.  
\--

“We narrowed down a list of eight witnesses for now. If that sounds like too few, you’re probably right. If that sounds like too many? Then this’ll be one helluva test run as a rookie. I’ve asked you already, but are you sure you still want to be an assist?” Jared asked in his no nonsense tone.

“Yes. I told you what happened with me and my family and if I can help yours, I gladly take the challenge.”

The two men shared an affirmative nod before going through the files one by one.

“First we want to establish what brought the Aberdeen’s to Texas in the first place. Boston made sense for them. They were new to the States and Boston is one of the most populous Irish urban areas in the country. They probably settled in just fine. She worked at MGH in OB, Mickey worked at a bar in Southie. We need you to start making phone calls to see if anyone is willing to talk via teleconference. Before we fly anyone down here or up there, we need to exhaust that avenue first. Now I know it sounds like ‘just phone calls’, but the longer you work in this field, the quicker you’ll learn that the exciting stuff in investigations comes long after all this gopher stuff. I had to do it, Jen had to do it during his paralegal days, and now I’m asking you to do it,” Jared handed her the green file labeled BOS.

She nodded and jotted down a few notes on the steno pad she had brought. Jensen quirked an eyebrow over her head to Jared and mouthed, “Prepared.” 

Jared picked up where he had left off, “If at any point you come across anything remotely unsavory or nonsensical? You bring it to me. If you can’t get a hold of me, bring it to Jen. Do not call Jensen, do you understand? NYPD and DA phones are easily traceable and can be subpoenaed a lot easier than inter department calls.”

“Does that mean I’ll ha….”

“Have to come downtown to my agency? Sure thing, kid. Why don’t we lay the groundwork a little next week and have you pop in from time to time...just so people get used to your face. I may have to play up the, ‘My husband is a newly promoted Sergeant,’ card and say that he’s making the rookies do his bidding. Think of it as your first undercover assignment,” Jensen winked.

“OK, yeah. That’s a good idea. Now, Sarge? What do you mean by anything ‘off’?”

“You go to the same police academy I did, Simpson?” Jared asked her sarcastically.

“Well, yeah…”

“So you’ll know when you know. Just like you knew it was weird that I kept a file and just like you knew to come over as soon as you found out about Sarah’s infertility,” he smiled in a proud father type way. 

Maybe after all this, she’d call her father. Adoptive father.

“Am I allowed to ask what you guys are going to do?”

“‘Course, that’s what being part of an investigative team means,” Jared said. “Our roles are just a little different here because of our titles. Jen here is going to have to do a lot of research and digging up backgrounds to establish patterns or old files that never made sense. He has access to every bureau at TCDA and he’s the number two in the office so no one ever really bothers him. The only person who can bother him is DA Specter. And he’s a politician, more of a figurehead than anything else,” Jensen choked on his tea.

“You can’t say that, Jay; that’s my boss,” Jensen’s eyes were wide. Katie had heard about the DA: charismatic, no-nonsense, fair. Admirable. Jensen clearly bought that all.

“I’m just saying what he’s told you in person, Jen,” Jared pacified.

“I know, you’re right. Just nerves are fried at the moment.” Katie noticed the slight circles under his otherwise perfect face and couldn’t imagine how they had felt.

Jared cleared his throat to break some of the emotion in the room and continued; clearly he was the lead investigator on this case at this time. “While Jen is lawyering, you’ll do the Boston research. I get stuck with trying to extend a fake olive branch to the detectives on the original Aberdeen case. That part shouldn’t actually be hard since they know it’s hanging out there unsolved. They just won’t like a suit coming to investigate their investigation. Mostly dick measuring than anything else.” This time Jensen choked for a completely different reason before blushing like a teenage girl at prom.

Katie had the good sense to look down but not before Jared caught her smirk.

“I hope euphemisms and puns don’t bother you because once we get going, we kind of can’t stop,” he chose his words perfectly and earned just the reaction he was hoping for. Jensen kicked his shin, not gently, and Katie covered her mouth to keep from spitting water out as she laughed. 

“We’ll be OK,” Jared thought. “We’ve got a good team.”


	9. Where You Should Be

Everyone was exactly where they were supposed to be. After three phone calls, five texts, and one phone call to Trinity, Arlington was at school. They knew it was overkill, but that sentiment was only cemented on the third call. 

“Remind me to never, in the history of my remaining juvenile years, to ask to do literally anything on a school night. Ever. Again.” It wasn’t often that Arlo’s immature 12-year-old nature came out, but when it did? Ugh. Teenagers. 

Jared was at his desk going through the Aberdeen murder/robbery. He was growing increasingly frustrated with the case. It would have been so much easier if the detective work was sloppy. This looked to be done by the book. He washed a weary hand down his face when there was a knock at the door. He looked up to see his Captain and his inner rookie flinched in trepidation at his senior officer. Then he remembered his stripes and his rank. 

“Hey, Cap. What can I do for ya this fine Friday?”

“You been workin’ with Simpson a lot. Anything I need to know?” Good, Jared was prepared for this kind of question thanks to Jensen’s quick thinking. 

“Yeah you know end of the month stuff?”

“Cold cases; your favorite,” Alvarez gave him a wry smirk.

“Aren’t they everyone’s? Anyway, I divvied them up like usual and it’s her first ‘case’ so she wants to be perfect. I told her that policework ain’t perfect, but she’s a good kid. Eager to learn, reminds me a lot of myself actually.” That part, at least, was true. Now he just had to hope Alvarez didn’t push for more details. 

“Good on you, Ackles. You’re a damn good cop and a damn good leader. I knew you’d fit into your role well, here. If there’s anything I can do to help, why don’t you let me know, yeah?” The captain made to leave and Jared blew out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. 

His door closed and Jared spun around in his chair to look out at the Austin skyline. He closed his eyes to feel the sun on his face and missed the sound of the knock at the door. He did, however, hear the squeak of it creaking open. He spun back and saw Katie in his office shifting her weight. “Um, I saw Captain Alvarez. Am I caught? Is our mission over?” She was worrying her bottom lip and Jared couldn’t help snort out a laugh. He motioned with his hand for her to sit.

“1. He just noticed that I had you gophering, which is good--that’s what Jen said we wanted. 2. Please don’t call it a mission, because--while I think it’s cool--Jensen will quite literally eyeroll himself into a coma; and I kinda want to keep him,” Jared smiled reassuringly. 

“OK, yeah, you’re right. Speaking of the other half--I haven’t decided which is the better half--I’m going to see him. Is there anything I should know about going to TCDA?”

“I am clearly the better half and it’s just like every other office building. You’ll scan your badge before you head up and just make sure you check in with our bureau chief so they have a record of your visit. Why are you visiting him, anyway?”

“Oh, I just wanted to go as a kind of dress rehearsal. I don’t have anything but I wanted to figure out the lay of the land before I have to go with something dire,” Katie said confidently. 

Smart kid. But then Jared caught what she had said. Dress rehearsal.

“You…...were a theatre kid,” Jared was trying not to laugh picturing her as an Oompa Loompa or something equally adorable.

Instead of blushing like he expected, she just retorted back, “Cabaret. You’re looking at Sally Bowles, good sir,” she added with a sassy wink.

“All right Miss Bowles, you’re clearly the right woman for the job.” He dismissed her with a congenial grin and waved her off.

“Maybe this time.” She just couldn’t help herself.

\--

Jensen was on his third coffee before noon. Rachel disapproved but she was good at her job and knew how to read the room. He hadn’t slept more than two hours last night, he was developing an ulcer from--not the coffee--worrying about his son, and he had just submitted the final draft of remarks to Harvey. He was never anxious about his work before; he wasn’t sure why he was now.

As if on cue, Rachel came in and told him that his presence was requested next door. 

“Yeah, I know.”

He stood and buttoned his jacket and walked into the DA’s office.

“Ackles, you look better today. How ya feeling?”

“Much better, sir. Thanks, again, for letting me go home early; it was just what I needed.” He omitted the part that now he actually was sick. “Anyway, what’d you need? Did you get the remarks I sent you?”

“Yeah, they’re excellent...per usual. I just wanted to ask you about the event,” he leaned forward on his forearms, at which point Jensen realized Harvey wasn’t in his usual three-piece. Rather he was just down to his white button down.

“Before I answer any and all questions, what’s with the casual Friday look? Did I miss a memo?” Jensen knew they had the rapport that allowed for joking.

The DA crinkled his eyes with a smile and said, “I’m the DA, dude. I can wear whatever the hell I want. Besides, my service request to lower the goddamn heat must’ve gotten lost in the pile of other super important things.” Jensen noted that it was a little warmer in here than the hall and his own office.

“Fair. Anyway, what’d you want to know?”

“Right. Which slot is your kid slated to debate? I want to make sure my detail has me arrive in time to see the little ingenue in action,” OK now Jensen was confused.

“Um, sir?”

“And I figure we can just travel together; you and the little fam just head on home after my speech.”

Jensen’s face must have been completely blank because Specter just interrupted his empty thoughts with laughter. “Jesus, Ackles. You’re seriously off, aren’t ya? This event is at Trinity Prep.”

How did he miss that? 

“Yeah, not my week, man.”

“No worries,” Harvey clapped his hands in front of him, “Hey more time with your kid, though; so bonus!”

And Jensen really couldn’t disagree with that.

\--

Katie was in the lobby of TCDA and just took a moment to marvel at everything around her. There were plenty of plainclothes officers, some in their blues, and a LOT of suits. She wasn’t trying to eavesdrop but when she heard the name Kennedy O’Malley, she made an effort to look busy on her phone while staying within earshot.

“We can never nail the fucker even though we’ve got all this hearsay and shit against him. Dude’s a monster,” and yeah, Katie agreed with that. 

“What I don’t understand is how he keeps this facade as a magnanimous benefactor to the arts and sciences. You hear that Specter is speaking at the debate Kenny is hosting at Trinity tonight? How the fuck is his detail going to handle that?!”

Katie’s heart dropped. Kennedy O’Malley was hosting an event at Arlington’s school?

“Excuse me,” she showed the guys her badge, “I overheard you talking. Did you say that Kerry Kenny is speaking at Trinity tonight?”

“Yeah. His nephew goes there so he tries to cover up all his felonies and dirty dealings by pouring money and support into the school,” one of the suits answered her question without hesitation. Beauty of the badge.

“I didn’t realize Kenny had any family other than his wife? Too many risks to hurt him by going through blood?” 

“Yeah, it’s not well known. He’s got a sister who was in a bad marriage; the husband ‘disappeared’ but we all know that Kenny ordered the guy to be taken out. She and the kid kept her married name to try and hide the O’Malley blood. Honestly, it’s a wonder no one has figured that out yet,” the other suit chimed in.

Katie was mentally keeping track of all these developments. She was glad she was already at TCDA because there was less of a chance of forgetting the information before she could tell Jensen.

“Yeah, that’s strange that no one had made that connection. Hey; why don’t you give me the sister’s name and maybe I can do some digging from the precinct.”

“Kathleen Klausen; lives over in…..”

“Allandale,” Katie whispered.


	10. Girl Talk Done Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OK I realized that I posted a DRAFT of this chapter yesterday. I apologize for that--here's the real copy.

Katie ran to the elevator and pushed the button repeatedly as if that would get her up to Jensen’s floor faster. She checked into her bureau first like Jared had told her to do and then raced to the executive suite. Unsure of the proper protocol here, she asked the Detective Inspector at the desk, his nametag said Murphy. 

She tried to keep her cool as if nothing was wrong despite everything being wrong. “Hi, I need to see Executive ADA Ackles, is he in?”

He smiled wryly, “Sweetheart, this must be your first rodeo in this neck of the woods. The only way you get through that door is with an encoded badge.” She shakily held out her shield and he grinned almost apologetically. “Not that kind. Even when you have the right kind of badge, you'd need to confirm your appointment with his para. And, before you ask, yes you do need an appointment. Rachel Devane would come out to check you in and then you’d sit in the executive lounge until she comes to escort you to his office. I know he's in but that doesn't mean he's available. What's this about? Maybe I can get you through.”

She shifted uncomfortably and weighed her options. She knew she couldn't say anything about O'Malley because that would no doubt alert a whole bunch of people to their independent little investigation. She chewed her bottom lip and decided the best lie was based on part of a truth. 

“I work for his husband, Sergeant….”

“Ah yes, the Adonis and reason for Jensen’s oxygen supply, what about him?”

“Well with his new rank, he kind of has me doing his gopher work where needed. Flexing the promotion muscle and such,” she played it off like an inconvenience to hide her growing angst.

“Let me see if Rachel is in and she can intercept whatever you need. Ackles is either running between his office and this suite to meet with DA Specter, give me a second.” He picked up his phone and hit whatever speed dial for this Devane character.

“Hey, Rach. I got a PO out here, needs to deliver a love note to Ackles from the other Ackles, she seems a little eager so maybe there’s something in it for you,” he teased and then laughed before hanging up.

A moment later a tall, curvy brunette came out with a friendly smile. “I have to apologize for whatever Trevor out here said. He’s insufferable to most of us and even moreso with ‘fresh meat’ as he calls you rookies. I’m Rachel Devane, Jensen’s paralegal. Why don’t you come on into my office and we can chat and/or get to know the real reason you're here. Jensen has been weird lately and that’s unlike him. Besides, Jared takes every possible opportunity to come in here and flaunt their disgustingly perfect love for the rest of us,” Rachel finished.

“Yeah, I can attest for how disgustingly adorable they are. As for the purpose of my visit, like I told the DI here.....”

“Right,” she added with an eyeroll and a knowing smirk. “Come on, let’s have some girl talk. Jensen is in with Specter right now anyway.”

\--

“So what’s going on that’s got Jensen so on edge this week?” Rachel sat back in her desk drinking a green smoothie and crossing her legs bouncing her left foot indicating maybe too much coffee this morning. Hence the smoothie. 

“I can’t really talk about the specifics but Jared wanted me to check in on Jensen because he noticed something was off, too. Well that and their son's debate is tonight and Jared wanted to confirm travel plans: whether he was expected to pick him up or throw him to the perils of mass transit." It was no secret how Jensen felt about public transportation, so Katie hoped that that sold her story a little more. 

“Oh, well then this is a wasted trip for you," Rachel jumped in with a flip of her petite hand. "The DA is speaking at the debate so he and Ackles drove ahead together to get situated with the space. I didn’t know the Ackles prodigy when to Trinity; though it shouldn’t surprise me with the Super Dad Duo. Don't worry, kid; he probably texted Jared already just telling him to meet them there.”

“Wait…..the DA is speaking at the event? Jared didn't mention anything about police detail at the school." "The DA has his own security team," Rachel added as if that were common knowledge; and yeah, it should've been. "They're supposed to inform APD, but they don't always. Some kind of bureaucratic muscle-flexing." The two women locked eyes and snorted out, in unison, "Men." Katie composed herself and further clarified the situation. "And you said ADA Ackles is already on his way to this event? With the DA? Isn't Kerry Kenny sponsoring this event?” Her panic was starting to break through the cracks a bit and Rachel seemed to pick up on it.

“Huh. You're pretty 'in the know' for a rookie. Sergeant Ackles must trust you," the paralegal looked impressed. "To answer your question; yes, ADA Ackles is en route with DA Specter and his aforementioned detail. They've got some extra security with them because O’Malley is hosting the event. That might be your reason that PD wasn't informed. They may be covered with suits. And, before you pale any further, we are aware that he’s also known as Kerry Kenny. Unfortunately, with all the shit he’s allegedly done, we can’t pin a goddamn thing on him, so he’s free to maintain his benefactor alter ego. It's my understanding that his nephew goes to Trinity so he’s always handing out money to the school out of the goodness of his hear. The kid’s father died, and yes--we’re aware that the circumstances of his death are…..well nevermind. O’Malley took the kid under his wing as a surrogate son." 

“All right then I guess I’ll just reconnect with Sarge back at the house; see if I can catch him before he heads to Trinity. Thanks, Miss Devane," Katie shook the other woman's hand and blew out of TCDA just as quickly as she came in. She unlocked her phone from her cruiser and tried to call Jared but it went directly to voicemail. Was he already at the school? She hit the lights and sirens and made her way to Trinity hoping to intercept one, if not two, fathers who were already on edge. And they had no idea what they were walking into. 

\--

Jensen and Harvey pulled up to the school and the DA whistled an impressive show of awe at the grandeur of the school. “Shit, Ackles. Do I even pay you enough to send the kid here?” He asked in a convivial tone. As if he was the one signing Jensen's paycheck and not the City of Austin.

“Very funny, hotshot. Jay and I went here so Arlington gets a legacy discount. He's got a couple of scholarships, too: one because of his --uncharacteristic--childhood. The other is merit-based.”

“Damn; that boy is impressive.” Harvey muttered as he stared at the window as his security detail secured the area. "Hell yeah, he’s impressive. Just wait til you hear his arguments.”

“Must’ve gotten em from his Daddy there,” Specter winked.

“Yeah well, an ADA as 'Coach' and a Sergeant as a Dad? Bound to be a pretty badass little dude. God I hope he stays like this forever. Hopefully 13 won’t flip the switch to monster.” He looked over when Harvey threw his head back and laughed.

“Jen, you met the love of your life when you were 13 and you two have been head over heels in love--and in partnership--since. I highly doubt your kid is going to suddenly turn into the likes of, say, Kennedy O’Malley when the clock strikes 13,” he laughed at his own cleverness, ignorant to the sweat breaking out along Jensen’s brow.

“Wha----what did you just say?”

“Shit, I keep forgetting that y’all have been gone for a while. He goes by Kerry Kenny on the streets but he’s good so we can never nail him on anything. The only reason I mentioned him now is because he’s hosting this thing as one of his charitable endeavors to cover up the death and destruction he leaves in his path.”

“OK……” Jensen was trying valiantly to keep his breath under control while he processed that Arlington's biological father was feet away, possibly within reach of his son. He cleared his throat before continuing, "So why does he bother with this school, specifically?”

“His nephew, I think. His sister and brother-in-law had a nasty marriage. Abuse, alcoholism, drugs...you name it….Jimmy Klausen was a piece of shit. Still didn’t deserve to ‘disappear’ though, if you know what I mean.” Specter was making his way out the door once his security nodded the all-clear. Jensen remained frozen in place with the realization that Kennedy O’Malley was not only going to be in the same room as Arlington, Kennedy O’Malley was Caleb Klausen’s uncle, and this whole fucking disaster just elevated to DEFCON SHIT. He needed Jared, right the fuck now.


	11. The Debate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Looks like the draft of this one had posted, too. Sorry about that, guys. I'll be more careful in the future!

Jared walked into the auditorium and made his way to his son, kissing his head and clapping him on the back. “How ya feelin', champ?”

“Great! Cal and I worked real hard finalizing our argument last night. Then, instead of Ms. Klausen driving us to school this morning, his uncle drove us. He's a cool guy, Dad. I think you'd like him--Coach, too, actually. He knows a lot about politics and the goings-on in the city so he was able to give us a few things to add on to add a current event aspect.”

“Sounds like an impressive guy. I'd love to meet him,” Jared replied with an affectionate smile.

“It'll probably have to wait until after the debate. He’s the keynote speaker so he sits onstage with the judges and then he'll introduce DA Specter at the end. I gotta run, though. I want to review with Cal one more time.”

“Sure thing, bud,” he said, wondering why Jen never mentioned Specter's involvement with the event. "He must be more distracted by this whole thing than I thought," he thought to himself. 

As if on cue, Jensen appeared and grabbed Jared’s elbow before pulling him into a little recess of the auditorium.

“We need to talk,” Jensen's tone confirmed Jared's concern that his husband was barely holding it together.

“Not the time, gentlemen,” an usher appeared and corralled them into their seats. 

\--

The debate seemed interminable, despite Arlington’s kickass presentation, of course. Jared noticed that Jensen was rubbing his fingers together seeming to anticipate disaster. 

When the kids were finished presenting their arguments; a poised man took to the podium to thank everyone for coming to support these kids and blah blah blah. Jensen wasn’t listening too closely. He was staring at the criminal, the monster, the murderer. Arlington's father. He hated the mere thought of that phrase. When Harvey took the stage, he didn’t even bother to pretend to be listening. Jensen knew the damn speech; he had fucking wrote it. Jared leaned over, “Good speech, baby," he added the kudos with a gentle kiss to his husband's temple. Jared noticed that Jensen was shaking. "Jen, you're starting to freak me out. What's going on?" 

“Gentlemen, I’m going to have to ask you to remove yourselves if you can’t keep quiet,” that fucking usher. In unison, the Ackles men stood up showing their respective credentials.

“Executive ADA Ackles, I need to report to the DA backstage anyway.”

“Sergeant Ackles, I need to accompany my husband backstage as well to debrief with the DA’s detail.”

The usher, adequately humbled, sputtered out, “Oh, yes. Of course sirs. Right that way.”

“Thanks,” they gruffed out in unison.

\--

When they got backstage they saw Caleb wrapped around the keynote speaker and Jared could only discern that that was the uncle. The DA was having an animated chat with Arlington making his face erupt into a beam. Both men approached the scene with differing emotions: Jensen, terrified and paralyzed by the temptation to grab Arlo and get him as far from O'Malley as possible and Jared, excited to meet the man Arlo had spoken so highly of. The irony that they were thinking about the same man so differently was lost in ignorance.

As if on cue, Arlington moved over to Caleb’s uncle, extending his hand like the little gentleman his fathers raised him to be. “Thanks so much for your insight this morning, Mr. O’Malley. I think it really helped our case that we had local evidence to support it." Arlington was practically radiating awe and happiness. But then, Jared's short-circuited. O’Malley? Did that mean..... 

“Hey, Arlo? How do you know Mr. O’Malley?” Jared asked through a dry throat, hoping against all hope that it was a coincidental name or that he had misheard.

“He’s Caleb’s uncle that I told you about," Arlington looked at Jared as if he were a little slow. And, OK fair, because his brain certainly was operating slowly. He felt as if everything turned to molasses, slowly melting away and creeping around him and their little bubble of domesticity. His thoughts were interrupted by a belly laugh. 

“Thanks for that sterling introduction, kiddo," O'Malley had the audacity to ruffle their son's hair. "I'm Kennedy O’Malley, Sergeant. You can call me Ken; everyone does," he continued. Jared was sure that his heart had relocated to his stomach but not enough that his inner snark didn't chime in, "No, everyone calls you Kenny you fucking murdering piece of shit." Luckily his filter kicked in for once. "It's nice to meet ya," O'Malley continued before turning his attention to Jensen who was an alarming shade of white. "And I assume you’re Harvey’s right hand? You’ve got an awesome kid, fellas. Seriously. If I ever had a boy, I’d hope he’d be exactly like this one right here," completely unaware to the irony of the situation. 

Jared and Jensen were shaking with an emotion they couldn’t identify. Terror? Yes. Anxiety? Absolutely. Fear? Undeniably. Protectiveness? More than they'd ever felt before. That’s when the door swung open and Katie ran in, out of breath, hair a wild mess, cheeks flushed. She didn’t recognize anyone in the room except for the Ackles family and two other men she couldn’t identify.

“Guys, we have a problem!!!” she placed her hands on her knees and gasped for breath. Poor thing looked like she ran the whole way here. Jared's brain impressively put a few things together at once. Katie had been at TCDA, Jensen hadn't been there, Katie was panting like she had physically run from the Agency, her eyes weren't focused on anything other than the three of them.

“Arlington. Please go get some water for Officer Simpson, k?” Jared had been holding Arlington to his side but was pleased, for once, to let him scamper off. The kid must've still been on an adrenaline high from his performance because he didn't even notice the edge in his father's voice. Jensen was still standing there, ashen and trembling, unsure of what to do. Specter and O'Malley were chatting. At first glance, it would seem that they were old friends catching up. But Jared was trained to see beyond what was in front of you. Specter was rigid, O'Malley stood like a nuanced predator. There was no doubt that these two knew each other's reputations: one for being a ruthless kingpin and the other for being a definitive officer against organized crime.

While they were engaged in their staged conversation, Jared looked to Katie and began to implore her to keep quiet. "Katie, we know. OK, we just pieced it all together, just please...."

Unfortunately, Katie started speaking at the same time as Jared. “The keynote speaker,” she gasped again, “He’s Kennedy O’Malley. I tried to get to Jensen before he left for here and your phone was off so I couldn’t reach you. Do you understand what I’m saying guys?! Kerry Kenny is the Klausen kid’s uncle. You’ve got to get Arlo out of here before they meet.” When she finished speaking, they noticed that the other two men had finished their conversation and had appeared nearby.

“Hi, Officer. You seem to know who I am but allow me to introduce myself nonetheless. I don’t usually go by Kerry Kenny when I'm here, I tend to go by Uncle Ken or Mr. O'Malley," he held out a hand and Katie froze as if it were a loaded gun. "Now I wonder what the panic is that you had to rush in here to seemingly warn them about me?" His lips pulled back in a barely disguised sneer. It was at that moment that Arlington returned with the water; thank God for youthful innocence, because he was oblivious to the tension that sucked the air out of the room. O’Malley looked at their son with a different look, an interested look, a scrupulous look. 

“Like I said, an awesome kid, fellas. If I ever had a boy, he’d be exactly like this one right here. Thanks for a great presentation, kids. This evening turned out to be much more educational than I thought. Sergeant, Counselor. I’ll talk to you soon, yeah?”

It wasn't missed by anyone that he had removed the hope from his earlier words. No longer did he, "Hope he’d be exactly like this one right here," to "He'd be exactly like this one right here.


	12. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story is progressing a little slower than I expected so I apologize for that. The next chapter will be NC17 with some serious angst thrown in towards the end. Thank you for sticking with me!

Five things happened at the same time: Katie, realizing what she had done, broke into sobs; Jared and Jensen frozen in place; O’Malley smugly sauntered away with one last glance at Arlington and a noncommittal nod to Specter; the DA being whisked away by his detail; and Arlington letting out an uncharacteristic squeal before running out of his fathers’ reach.

The boy’s name was yelled out in panicked unison, but was only drowned out by the unmistakable sounds of grandmaternal and grandpaternal pride, affection, and cheek kisses. The same panicked shout dissipated into a defeated sigh as both men released the tension from their shoulders and clung to each other’s hands like the others lifeline. And maybe that’s exactly what they were at that moment.

They decided to let Arlo enjoy the adoration being bestowed upon their child; unfortunately, the Sr. Mr. Ackles seemed to have caught on to the suffocating suspense in the air. A former police chief, he knew how to read a room and the one he was in? Hostile. He shared a nod with Jared and Jensen and discreetly formed a grandparent circle around the boy. Silently, his eyes communicated, “Talk, we got this for a few.”

In a whirlwind of emotion, they spun around to face a very pale Katie, who was currently sitting on a folding chair, her shoulders seizing with sobs. They were pissed off, but at the same time, knew that she didn’t realize who was in the room.

As they approached her, they barely made out her pleas, “I…...sorry….didn’t know….he looked like…...wasn’t expecting…….he know?”

Jensen sat, defeatedly, in the folding chair next to her while Jared crouched down in front of her.

“Katie, we appreciate that you got here as fast as you could; hell, we even appreciate the vigor with which you showed your determination. But, kiddo, PO rule number 1: know how to read a room and don’t let your emotions cloud your judgment,” Jared took in a shaky breath trying to fight down his paternal instinct to scream at the rookie in front of him. But he knew that someone had to keep calm for the time being and it sure as hell wasn’t going to be Jensen. Jensen, who at the moment--without acknowledging Katie--suddenly stood up and made his way over to the DA’s detail before making his way over to their family quintet. 

Jared watched from where he remained crouched down, knowing that Jensen would come back and fill him in on his plan. He watched all of the hugs, the pinched cheeks, the blushing, the bouncing on toes, the looks of pure love and support of this boy who brought so much joy to their lives. Jensen squatted down in front of Arlo and said something that made their son raise a mischievous eyebrow, toss a sarcastic remark to Papa B (as he called the Sr. Mr. Padalecki). 

Arlo hugged Jensen tightly and Jensen hugged a little bit more tightly than normal. This was confirmed by Arlo who, in an impressive dramatization, was released from the paternal clutches and held his hands to his knees as he took exaggerated gulps of oxygen. Jensen playfully punched his shoulder and Jared watched as their family walked towards the door, followed shortly by one of the DIs he recognized from Jensen’s executive suite at work.

When Jensen came back to Katie and Jared, he was no nonsense; unfortunately for Katie, that didn’t bode well for an empathetic speech. He was right, and orders were given.

“Katie, you’ve done enough for the night, go back to the precinct, or go home, just don’t be near me right now.” He switched his hard eyes to Jared, not showing their usual warmth.

“Jared, Arlo is staying with my parents tonight. It’s his family birthday party tomorrow anyway, so I told him it was a surprise grandparent night so we could get ready. Papa A still has his old PD connections...and his guns. Murphy begged off DA detail tonight and he’s going to park it in front of their house tonight. We’re going home, now.”

Katie had the good sense not to say anything more; Jared smiled at her sadly and Jensen made his way out the door to Jared’s cruiser.

\--

The car ride home was silent. Jared kept wanting to say something. Defend Katie? No way, too soon. Ask Jensen to play, “What’re you thinking?” Best to wait til alcohol is nearby. Hint that because they had to house to themselves, they could fuck? He didn’t want to get slapped.

They were barely in their driveway before Jensen was out of the car and through the front door in record time. He checked all of the windows, doors, and back again--usually Jared’s job. He checked the alarm three times and counted how many lights were on versus how many they usually left on. He did all of this before Jared even got in the house.

When the latter finally entered the house, he noticed that Jensen’s shit was just tossed on the surfaces as he walked by: not one thing in its “assigned” spot. Jared wasn’t sure where his husband could’ve ventured to in their house, but that was answered easily when he heard a piece of glass shattering. Unsure of what it was, or rather if it was intentional or not, he raced towards the sound.

A totally justified temper tantrum, it looked like. A carafe of water that had been sitting on the sofa table was now in pieces soaking the Persian rug in the living room. Jensen was sitting on the fainting couch, expressionless.

“So…”  
“So…”

They began speaking at once. Jared took over. “So I think we can agree that O’Malley suspects that Arlington is his son by blood.” He was careful to add the ‘blood’ part.

Jensen snorted, “Yeah, no shit. Thanks to Katie.”

“Hey, hey. It wasn’t her fault. She was trying to do the right thing, it was just the wrong place, wrong time, and the wrong peripheral vision to read the audience in the room. You saw her when she came in. She was hyperventilating and hyper focused on three things: our son, you, and me. Everything else was a shadow to her. It was bad timing that O’Malley heard what he did; and yeah, you’re right...it was a mistake. But an honest to God mistake that was borne out of the best of intentions.”

“OK. You’re right. But what the fuck do we do now?”

“You’re not gonna like this, Jen, but….”

“I already don’t like a single fucking thing about this, Jared,” Jensen spat out.

“After Arlington’s party tomorrow, once everyone is gone, maybe we tell him that Caleb’s uncle is actually his biological father. It’s unlikely that he knows anything about the mob side of him; so maybe he’ll take it fine,” Jared spoke out hesitantly.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. Just say, ‘Hey, kiddo! Y’know Cal’s uncle you think is so cool, he’s your bio dad. Maybe you guys can play baseball once a week and his enemies can start to notice a new kid hanging around and maybe you’ll be lucky enough to be in a hostage situation like your dear old Coach was last time we were involved with the fucking mob!!!”

OK and when it was put like that, Jared could see that his argument wasn’t the best.

“Jensen. We have to tell him. Especially now that O’Malley is no doubt going to be sniffing around to find out more about him. He deserves to hear this from us. We don’t need to tell him the dangerous stuff, the scary stuff. He’s a smart kid. If we present it the right way, he’ll be curious--of course he will be--but he won’t do anything reckless.”

“Yeah. You’re right. I know you’re right. Of course you’re right. I’m just so fucking exhausted, babe.”

Jared leaned over and started to massage his husband’s shoulders. “I know you are, honey. Me, too. But we’ll get through this. You and Arl are the only people in the world that matter to me, and I will fucking fight for you both no matter the obstacle.”

“God I love you, Jay. Love you so much.”

“Love you most.”

Jensen grinned flirtatiously, “Care to prove it?”


	13. Unexpected and Unwelcomed Visitors (MATURE Chapter)

Katie, distraught, crestfallen, ashamed, sulked back to the precinct hoping against all hope that no one would notice the disarray of her hair, the flush in her cheeks, and her bloodshot eyes. Apparently she had forgotten that she was walking into a police station. Captain Alvarez cornered her within minutes of her settling down at her cubicle.

“Ackles finally got a little too tough on ya, huh? It’s rare that it happens with him and you’ll get an apology--complete with flowers--within a day. And I can almost guarantee it’ll never happen again. He can be scary when he needs to be, or I guess in this case when he wants to be; but he’s the biggest softie around. Just don’t tell him I said that, yeah?” He tapped her affectionately on the shoulder and left her to do her work.

Now that they had O’Malley looking into them, because after her verbal diarrhea--he’d be stupid not to. Then there was the way he had looked at Arlington that one last time. So she decided to dig into O’Malley’s family. She was under the impression that, aside from the wife --Margaret the file said--, he didn’t have any family. Of course there was no record of the stillborn/not so stillborn ever being an idea in the O’Malley family tree. She heard her phone chirp and looked down to see a message from Jensen. She fully expected it to be demanding her resignation or some other kind of lashing, but she was relieved when it was a clue of sorts. 

“O’Malley has a sister and a nephew. Kathleen and Caleb Klausen. Next door.” 

OK so Jensen wasn’t as warm and fuzzy as a note from Jared would have been, but it was describing the ways he was planning to maim her so she counted it as a win.

She started sketching out a character map of sorts. Kennedy O’Malley m. Margaret nee. Nee? How had she never come across his wife’s maiden name? She looked through her files and then noticed why. Margaret O’Malley was born Margaret O’Houlihan in the same Irish County as one Sarah O’Houlihan. No wonder the name was overlooked because she was ‘simply a mob wife’ and the other O’Houlihan was the only one ever cared about because she had been murdered.

So. Two sisters. One married to a mob boss. The other relocates from Boston under the guise of better job opportunity in Austin--but really to be closer to her sister? And then, to top it off, is assigned to be her OB nurse during delivery? No one would’ve questioned the conflict of interest because Margaret was, for all intents, purposes, and cover...an O’Malley.

Was it possible that Margaret didn’t want her son in the life she married into? Did she actually conspire with her sister to stage the stillbirth so Arlington had a chance at normalcy? Her notepad never wore so thin so quickly and soon the hours slipped by without her realizing the positioning of the moon indicating the lateness of the hour.  
\--

Jared and Jensen were moving in sync, Jared draped over the edge of the fainting couch, Jensen massaging every part of his husband he could reach. They knew they had bought this piece of furniture for a reason. Sure, it was in the living room and probably not the wisest place to make love, not to mention the amount of cleaner they had to use on it on the rare occasion they couldn’t make it to their bedroom. It reminded them of their loveseat in their Brooklyn walkup. It just added to the heat and the pleasure of being so wrapped up in the other.

Jensen couldn’t help but look down as his thick cock penetrated Jared’s glistening hole from the cherry lube rim job Jensen had given him. They moved slowly, just trying to forget the disaster of the day and needing to be combined as close as they could. Years of being together resulted in a perfectly synchronized dance of arches and thrusts and grinds and petting. Words of love, none of the filth that they usually enjoyed so much, were whispered into the other. The only other sounds were the occasional moan or the crackling of the fireplace. 

Jared turned his face to the side and Jensen reached down to cradle the blissed out look on his husband’s face as he just laid down for the ride. He lifted his ass as Jensen pulled out and rocked it down to meet Jensen’s inward thrusts. His own purple cock was drooling on one of the throw pillows, which they forgot to move. It was OK--it could just be thrown in the washing machine; and besides, the velvet/cashmere combination did some positively sinful things to the nerves throbbing with sensitivity. 

Jensen draped his torso over Jared’s back and continued to roll his hips while deeply seating in the body beneath him. Jared knew that this meant his husband was close. Jensen sealed his lips over Jared’s ear lobe and smirked when he heard Jared choke on his tongue a little. Between the affectionate nips, the proximity of chest to back, and grinding his dick against the upholstery, Jared didn’t even need a hand on him. They came together, almost silently, only low, extended groans. Jensen pulled out and gently rolled Jared onto his back so they were face to face. They shared innocent kisses before pulling themselves to their feet and to the shower. They could deal with the couch afterwads.

\--

As they were in the middle of their Febreeze, disinfectant, and pile of things to put in the washing machine, someone banged unceremoniously at the door. It was 11 p.m. Jared hoped that Katie would’ve had the foresight that it was too soon to face Jensen again. Jensen just regained the ire that had consumed him hours early. He was obviously expecting Officer Simpson as well. Jared, being the more levelheaded of the two, went to the door running his hands through his still damp hair.

He was absolutely not expecting Kennedy O’Malley on the other side of the door with two goons. There was really no other way to describe them. Before Jared had a chance to ask what he wanted, the mob boss pushed his way into the living room where Jensen was busying himself with disposing some of the rags.

“Wow. Pretty ballsy, pun intended, of you guys to just go at it when anyone could just walk in,” he smirked.

“Looks like anyone did just walk in. Without being invited. And you brought company so what in the actual hell do you want from us?” Jensen sneered with his arms crossed over his rapidly rising and falling chest.

“Oh. These two? I’ve got a bit of a reputation in this town so it’s good to have someone watch my back. Kind of like your precious DA when he’s got the DI trailing him.”

Jared intervened this time. “That’s nothing alike and you know it. Specter’s job is to enforce the laws in this city and your sole purpose in this town is to cause trouble.”

O’Malley guffawed and then righted his gaze. “Allegedly, Sergeant. Allegedly.”

“Yeah, sure. We all know what allegedly means in this scenario,” Jensen snarked from the side. “Jay, Imma go toss this stuff in the laundry, maybe this piece of shit will be gone by the time I’m back because no spin cycle can get the blood of his hands,” and with that his husband stomped away.

“Feisty one you got there. Anyway, I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m here. I saw that …. Arlington …. Is registered for baseball camp during break. My nephew is, too! I thought that was great since they’re so close. Practically like cousins.” Jared had to give him credit; this jackass knew what game he was playing and fuck if he wasn’t playing it well.

“Yeah, well. We’re still determining whether he’s earned the right this year. There are certain rules in this household that need to be respected if awards are earned.”

“Ah, yes. Rules are so important. Well I really brought it up because I’m funding the clinic and I’m really looking forward to seeing that kid on the field. I used to play back in my day and can spot it a mile away. I know there’s the whole nature versus nurture thing, and I’m just curious about whether the Counselor in the other room taught him a few tricks. Besides, it’s always great to watch the kids grow in the sport they love, don’t you agree?”

Jared gritted his teeth and started walking the trio of terror towards the door, hopefully sending the hint that their no-invitation invitation had expired.

“All right, I get it Sarge. Looks like you and the husband got a serious workout in and I’m sure you’ve got some cleaning up to do. Besides….don’t you have a birthday party here tomorrow for the little guy? March 30th. That’s always a special day to me, too. Anyway….tell the kiddo happy birthday from his coach, K? Have a good night.”

Jared slammed the door behind him and slumped his back against the door when he locked eyes with Jensen. 

“Happy birthday from…..his Coach?!? Over my dead fucking body, Jared.”

“Jen. We gotta tell him. If we take baseball camp away, he’s not going to accept it lightly. ‘Because we said so’ won’t cut it.”

Jensen broke down crying softly. “I know. I know….I’m just s….so scared.”

Jared held Jensen in his arms cradling his head with one hand and rubbing soothing circles with the other.

Then their moment was interrupted by yet another knock on the door. Jesus Christ.

Jared opened it again with more force than necessary, but kind of necessary nonetheless. Katie stood there looking absolutely wrecked.

“I know you guys don’t want to see me. But I found something.”

“Katie, can’t it wait? We just had Johnny Mafia Asshole here throwing around empty threats and smug innuendos and I can’t take much more tonight. So unless you’ve got something we can use to continue keeping that animal away from our son, I can’t handle it tonight,” Jensen said in a tone that was absolutely defeated.

“Well if you mean information like Margaret O’Malley’s birth name is Margaret O’Houlihan, biological sister of Sarah “Aberdeen” nee O’Houlian. Same Sarah O’Houlihan who told her sister that her son was stillborn because of an arrangement they made to keep that little boy away from his father…..and his father’s business? Is that the kind of information yo……”

“Get the fuck inside.”


	14. Secrets Don't Stay Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is probably going to be the last chapter for a few weeks. My writing hasn’t been up to my personal standards (maybe you’ve noticed and I’m sorry). I feel bad just filling space for the sake of it; especially when I know I can do better and you guys deserve better. I think this quarantine is finally getting to me as we pass the “one month at home” Mark because I’m certainly starting to feel it mentally, emotionally, and even physically. 
> 
> I hope you’re all staying safe (and sane!!) and I hope to come back stronger than ever in a few weeks. I just need to revisit my story map and develop my ideas a bit more. 
> 
> I do appreciate your kudos and comments. Talk soon!! xxxx

Katie crept inside like a timid kitten, unsure of everything around her. She didn’t know whether to launch into the apology she had rehearsed approximately 27 times or just lead with the new information she had uncovered. Luckily for her, that decision was made for her rather quickly. 

“We know you’re sorry. And maybe another day, we’ll take your apology. But right now that’s the least of our concerns. How did you uncover this little conspiracy theory and how likely is it that it’s true?” Jared spoke with the authority of his rank and, in that moment, as the head of the Ackles household. Jensen was still a trembling mess standing next to him. She decided to go with the whole, ‘honesty’ approach.

“I don’t know how to read the room right now, guys. And yes, I know that’s really fucking ironic because of what I did earlier tonight; but I don’t know what to do,” she was proud of herself that no tears fell from her eyes. She was less proud that she could see her lip trembling simply by glancing down to the floor.

Jensen was the first to sigh. Loudly.

“Katie. I’m not going to say it’s fine because it’s about as far from fine as we can get; however, we just need as much information as possible. If O’Malley is really onto Arlington’s DNA, which all signs point to yes, then we need to be fully armed.”

She made her way to the dining room table and unloaded her messenger bag. Folders and files spilled out and would have overwhelmed the already emotionally taut men, but it was obvious that Katie had gone through them already. Each was labeled with a hot pink index card with a number on it. Jensen had to smirk at that considering it was part of how he filed cases, too.

“Imma start with folder one and work my way through there, k?” Katie asked, trying valiantly to muster up the same kind of authoritative tone that Jared was exhibiting. 

“I spoke with Sarah’s supervisor at Mass Gen when I called Boston the other day to try and uncover the Aberdeens’ reason for moving. Sarah had told them that there was a family emergency in Texas that required their immediate relocation. It came as a surprise to her team because everyone assumed that she, and Mickey, had come here from Ireland themselves. I guess Sarah wasn’t expecting them to be so empathetic because she spilled that she had a sister who had come here years earlier. Never could figure out how one sister ended up in Texas and the other in Massachusetts, though I have a theory I’ll get to in a minute.” Once Katie started talking, her police training kicked in and she spoke with growing confidence.

“She left in such a hurry that she didn’t even bother cleaning out her locker. The RN I spoke with is FedExing the contents down here now because they don’t have any use for them. They’ve just been taking up space in the HR files, apparently. I asked Mary, that’s her name by the way, what was in the locker. Anything that might’ve explained the hasty move. Turns out there wasn’t much in her locker except for a spare set of scrubs, street clothes, a few toiletries, and a copy of an ultrasound and a handwritten note from ‘Mags’ saying, ‘I need you here. We need to bury the hatchet and save my son.’”

“So Sarah knew her sister was pregnant and that’s how they ended up here. I wonder if Mickey knew?” Jared was the first to speak up.

“I think he did. I spoke with his bosses--both in Boston and here--and he was keen to be an uncle. Showed everyone a copy of the ultrasound and everything. They knew that Sarah couldn’t have kids, so he was thrilled with the opportunity to have a nephew to spoil,” Katie continued as if she had anticipated Jared’s question. 

“OK so now we have a motive for the move, but how did you make the leap to collusion to cover up a kidnapping,” Jensen chimed in. He received death glares from both Katie and Jared, to which he responded, “I’m trying to be logical right now because that’s the only way I can handle this. Logically, and legally, speaking; Arlington was kidnapped by the Aberdeens...blood relative or not.” He hated himself for saying that. “We need to prove that there was a kind of unofficial contractual adoption in place where Margaret knowingly bequeathed her parenting rights to Sarah.”

Katie moved around the table like a woman on a mission and knew exactly where and what to look for. Jumping ahead to folder 4--apparently they’d reviewed, at least the Cliff’s Notes version, of what was in 2 and 3. In an act that could have been called triumphant if not for the tension that still strangled everyone, she wielded what looked like a note that would have been passed in middle school.

“I, Margaret O’Malley (O’Houlihan) hereby give custody of my son to my sister Sarah and her husband Michael. He is not to be named after his father. I forbid it,’” the note was hastily written and the men couldn’t help but wonder what the circumstances were at the time of writing.

“That’s great, Katie; but by no means legal or official. And it doesn’t mention any plan of a stillborn bait and switch, so we still really don’t have anything,” Jensen was pacing now.

Katie moved to folder 5 and started reading from an equally haphazard piece of paper.

“I, Sarah O’Houlihan, and my husband Mickey will raise my sister’s son. Per our arrangement, the exchange will happen on the day of his birth so that neither father nor son know about the existence, or in the baby’s case--identity, of paternity.” 

“OK...now we’re getting somewhere,” Jared mumbled. “We need to review the paperwork that was found at the Aberdeen’s house and we need to determine whether there may have been anyone else privy to the arrangement,” it was then that he noticed Katie’s mirthful grin.

“You mean like a notary public?” She handed over Sarah’s note to Jared and Jensen hoping to receive praise, or at the very least genuine smiles, from the two men.

Instead Jensen took off to the bathroom followed by the sounds of dry heaves and Jared just looked between her and the piece of paper.

“Katie, there’s no way you would have known this, but the notary is Jim Cannery. Arlington’s first baseball coach when Jen met him.”

\--

“Night, baby; get some sleep--you’re 13 tomorrow!” Donna Ackles, aka Grammy A, kissed her grandson on his head as he made his way to his room. (He had his own bedrooms at both grandparents’ houses.)

“Night, A. I love you; thanks for letting me spend the night since I know something happened tonight that I’m not supposed to have realized and you weren’t expecting a guest tonight,” Arlingont replied, which effectively frazzled his grandmother.

“Huh!? How di….”

“How did I know something was wrong? Everyone seems to forget that I was a system kid before I was an Ackles kid. I know when stuff is going…..off,” he sensed the growing panic his grandmother was emoting and added in, “Besides….no lemon blueberry cheesecake bars!!! You always have them ready for me, Grams. No hard feelings….s’long as you make me some tomorrow. Like you said, I will be 13….” He dropped a kiss on her head just like she had done to him and made his way from the room. He grabbed his duffel from where it was tossed on the loveseat and leaned against his bedroom door.

Once the door was closed, he threw his duffel on the bed and started to open his backpack. He sat on the bed and opened the file he had found sticking between couch cushions in his dads’ study when he was doing a webinar. 

“Why were they reading about Caleb’s uncle?” he thought to himself. Then he picked at a note and whispered, “And why is my name on this?”p>


End file.
